MALAYSIA - OBESITY among students in the state has been given special attention by the Health Ministry as it affected almost 10 per cent of secondary school students monitored last year.

Responding to a question from T. Murukasvary (BN - Tengaroh), Women, Family, Welfare and Health Committee chairman Dr Robia Kosai said Kluang recorded the highest incidences of obesity with 15 per cent of students surveyed having the problem, with Johor Baru a close second with 12.2 per cent.

Dr Robia said to arrest the problem, 18 schools have been selected under the National Plan for Action on Nutrition II to undergo the Integrated Healthy Diet Programme.

"A seminar was organised at the end of 2007 to formulate the district level action plan with the state and district Education Departments."

She said the programme was continued this year with weight watch, canteen menu monitoring and health talks to students, parents and teachers.

"The state health department had proposed dietary consultation services at schools that have high incidences of obesity."

Dr Robia said a plan to rope in a local hypermarket to implement the "Hypermarket Healthy Eating Project" was also in the pipeline.

She said the project aimed to guide housewives on how to select healthy food for the family by conducting Healthy Eating Travels and Healthy Eating courses.

She said 540 primary and secondary schools in the state were monitored every two years according to the World Health Organisation Growth Chart 2007.