James Kon

Based on the Brunei National STEPS Survey on Non-Communicable Disease and Risk Factors 2015-2016, 28.2 per cent of the population of Brunei Darussalam are obese, 51.3 per cent have high levels of cholesterol, and 91.7 per cent eat less than five servings of fruit and/or vegetables per day.

Moreover, 21.8 per cent of Bruneians often add salt, or sauces high in salt to their food, while 19.5 per cent eat processed food which is high in salt.

The mean daily intake of salt among Bruneians is 10 grammes, which is double that of the World Health Organization’s recommendation of five grammes per day.

The growing concerns on the unhealthy dietary habits of the Brunei population were raised by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar during the launching of the National Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Eating Brunei Darussalam 2020 (NDGs) at the Ministry of Health (MoH)’s Al-‘Afiah Hall yesterday.

In terms of fat intake, the minister said, “Our National Health and Nutritional Status Survey (NHANSS) in 2009-2020 showed that more than half of our adult population consumed more than 10 per cent energy from saturated fat.

“This survey also revealed that the daily rate of consumption of sugar sweetened beverages among adults was about 23 per cent, and this figure was almost double among children.”

He added, “To change our eating behaviour is not easy. We all know this! We all love our food. Most of the time, when we interact socially with family and friends, it will involve some form of indulgence in food and drink… Eating is culturally embedded, and more challengingly, it is associated with our emotions.

“We also know that eating too much is not good for us; overeating and overindulgence lead to inappropriate intake and a mismatch in our daily energy requirements. If left unchecked, such behaviour will continue to foster the high prevalence of diet-related risk factors and diseases, including non-communicable diseases, which will eventually affect healthcare costs and more importantly, our socio-economic development.

“Therefore, it is very timely that our dietary recommendations for the public are revised and updated, consistent with the latest scientific evidence and the current challenges posed by non-communicable diseases in Brunei Darussalam.”

According to Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham, the guidelines will assist policymakers in formulating effective policies and strategies to address the range of health and nutrition-related issues in Brunei Darussalam.

“The guidelines also serve as a core foundation in planning and the implementation of nutrition policies and programmes that affect eating environments, such as school canteen guidelines, guidelines for food and beverages served in the workplace, the school feeding scheme (under the Ministry of Education) and Brunei Darussalam’s Healthier Choice initiative,” he said.

He also hoped that the guidelines would be an important resource for healthcare professionals in providing nutritional education to patients.

For teaching professionals involved in the field of nutrition-related sciences and education programme, “the guidelines can be utilised or incorporated in the curriculum, so that the information taught to students and undergraduates is consistent; and any research conducted will be directed by the guidelines”.

“Ultimately, it is the responsibility of everyone here and within the Ministry of Health, as well as our key partners and stakeholders for the Ministry of Health, to ensure good and quality nutrition for our people.

“A whole-of-society approach and concerted efforts involving professionals, academics, communities, businesses and industries, organisations, governments and other members of the society are needed to support individuals and families in making the right dietary choices.

“Everyone has a role, and these efforts have the potential to meaningfully improve the health of our current and future population.”