PROGRAMME TO ADDRESS OBESITY FOR MALAYSIAN STUDENTS

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government will introduce
a special programme to address the problem of obesity among students soon,
Education Director-General Abd Ghafar Mahmud said Tuesday.

He said the initiative would be carried out by the Education Ministry and
the Health Ministry.

"We will study the proposal and will submit it to the Health Ministry on how
to produce the best programme, especially on a healthy diet for students," he
told reporters here.

Abd Ghafar, who was met after the 2010 the Malaysian Certificate of
Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia SPM) Excellent Award presentation, said the
guidelines on healthy food at schools would be updated and then handed to the
Health Ministry for enforcement.

Meanwhile, Cheras Education Foundation chairman Syed Ali
Alhabshee said a healthy diet could produce students who excel in their studies.


"The ministry can draw up the guidelines on diet, but it all depends on the
students themselves," he said, adding that nasi lemak was not the main cause of
obesity among students.

YPC has 36 adopted schools, comprising 22 primary schools, 12 secondary
schools, and two pre-schools.