KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially Type 2 diabetes, are occurring at an alarming rate among Malaysian youth with cases detected in children as young as 14 — a stark warning, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He revealed that National Diabetes Registry data paints a worrying picture.
In 2024, 1,926 new cases were recorded. That number edged up to 1,932 in 2025, and as of June this year, another 660 new cases have already been logged.
During a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today, Dzulkefly said these figures prove Type 2 diabetes is no longer an adult disease, but is creeping into the lives of people under 30.
“This shows many young people are walking around with risk factors or undiagnosed NCDs without even realising it. Now, we are seeing individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at much younger ages, as early as 14,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Richard Rapu@Aman Begri (GPS-Betong) about NCD statistics among youth under 30, as well as how effective the “War on Sugar” and sugar tax have been in reducing national obesity rates.
Dzulkefly pointed to findings from last year’s National Health Screening Initiative, which screened 347,813 people aged 18 to 30.
The results were telling. Of those screened, 11,751 people (3.4 per cent) had high blood glucose, while 30,170 (8.8 per cent) had high blood pressure. Alarmingly, 98.1 per cent of all participants had no prior history of NCDs, meaning many were walking around with undetected risk factors.
To tackle this growing concern, the Health Ministry (MOH) is shifting its approach from sick care (treating illnesses after they arise) to healthcare, which focuses on early detection and lifestyle interventions.
On the effectiveness of the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax, introduced on July 1, 2019, at RM0.40 per litre, Dzulkefly said the impact has been positive. Consumption of sugary drinks among teenagers has dropped significantly from 36.9 per cent to 16.4 per cent.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022 showed a further decline in carbonated drink consumption, with the percentage of those drinking at least one daily dropping from 36.9 per cent (2019) to 32.4 per cent (2022).
Encouraged by this success, MOH raised the sugar tax by 10 sen on January 1, 2024, followed by another 40 sen hike on January 1, 2025, bringing the current rate to RM0.90 per litre.
“To measure the full impact of these increases, MOH will partner with UNICEF to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the sugar tax hikes in 2027, three years after the 2024 adjustment,” Dzulkefly said.
The fight against excessive sugar intake is also being reinforced by the Strategic Plan to Reduce Sugar Consumption Among Malaysians 2024-2030, which taps into behavioural insights and nudging techniques to encourage healthier choices.
Key initiatives under the plan include the KiBaR programme (Count, Burn, Record), the introduction of the Healthier Choice Logo (HCL), Nutri-Grade labelling system, and Healthy Eating Programme (HDP) at food outlets.
