The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy has proposed that restaurants and food outlets provide plain water free of charge as a way to help reduce sugar consumption.
Its chief executive, Azrul Mohd Khalib, said the move could be a simple but effective step in tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
One in five Malaysian adults don’t drink enough water
Azrul added that Malaysia’s health challenges are driven not only by excessive food consumption but also by the high intake of sugary drinks, as reported by BERNAMA.
Citing findings from the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), he said one in five Malaysian adults does not drink enough plain water each day, while other national dietary data shows that sugary drinks continue to make up a significant part of Malaysians’ diets.
“More than half of Malaysian adults are now overweight or obese, while one in five has diabetes. An increasing number of children are also affected by obesity,” he said.
He added that this increases the risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and cancer, while also contributing to premature deaths.
“Customers shouldn’t have to pay more just for choosing the healthiest drink. Providing free plain water at restaurants is one of the simplest public health measures we can implement. It’s practical, affordable, and something we can do today. Let’s make the healthy choice the easy choice,” he said.
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Calls for government to mandate free plain water at restaurants
Azrul said the growing burden of NCDs is also placing greater financial pressure on families, employers, insurance providers, and the public healthcare system due to rising treatment costs.
He added that the lack of free plain water, or the high prices charged for it at eateries, may push customers towards sugary drinks such as flavoured beverages, soft drinks, milk tea, fruit juices, and other high-calorie options instead.
To address this, he urged the government and local authorities, particularly the Health Ministry, to require all licensed restaurants and food outlets to provide free plain water as part of their licensing conditions, making it the default drink choice for customers.
While he acknowledged that offering free plain water alone would not solve the country’s NCD crisis, Azrul said it would be an important first step towards creating a healthier food environment.
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