MALAYSIANS PRONE TO HEART ATTACK, STROKE, SAYS DIETITIAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysians are prone to suffer heart attack and
stroke, compared with other chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes, because
of their living style and eating habits, says dietitian Gary Lee Poh Sing.

He said statistics released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2006
showed almost 20 per cent of the people in Malaysia suffered heart attack and
stroke.

"Several factors contributed to this, including imbalanced diet and an inactive
life style, like not having enough exercise, and pressure," he told Bernama here
Wednesday.

He said these diseases could be avoided by adopting a healthy lifestyle, like
eating right, exercise at least three times a week.

"We should have a balanced diet as shown in the food pyramid to ensure we are
fit and healthy," he added.

On the various health food in the market, Lee said consumers should not be
influenced by advertisements, but to buy products which effectiveness had been
scientifically tested.

Other factors to be looked into are the composition or contents of the health
food, absorption process and guarantee form the manufacturers on the safety of
their products, he added.
-- BERNAMA