Summary

Obesity in children and adolescents in Putrajaya has reached alarming levels, reflecting broader national and global trends. The prevalence of obesity among Malaysian adolescents grew from 5.4% in 2006 to 14.8% in 2019, with Putrajaya having higher rates.

This crisis is mainly driven by a dynamic interplay of factors including dietary patterns, reduced physical activity, urban environments, and socioeconomic influences.

However, as obesity increasingly garners recognition as a complex, multifactorial chronic disease, the additional confluence of genetic,epigenetic and hormonal factors should be emphasized as well. These include dysregulated appetite and energy metabolism, early-life programming, and metabolic adaptation, in addition to the relentless exposure to obesogenic environments.

This is compounded by the fact that Malaysia ’s population is experiencing a “triple burden of malnutrition” where individuals experience overweight or obesity, undernutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies.

Without intervention, obesity-related conditions like Type 2diabetes and cardiovascular diseases will place an unsustainable burden on individuals and health systems.

This paper provides evidence-based, expert-informed recommendations to address obesity in children and adolescents in Putrajaya, leveraging the location’s urban planning, governance, and community structures. Drawing from national and international best practices, the paper presents key treatment modalities and forward-looking strategies to combat the epidemic.

Malaysia has a unique opportunity to pioneer effective, scalable interventions that can serve as a national model for combating obesity among children and adolescents.

Investing in the treatment of obesity among children and adolescents is critical due to its far-reaching health, social, and economic implications. Early and effective treatment can prevent the progression of obesity-related comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and psychological conditions, reducing burdens on health systems and improving individuals’ quality of life, educational and social outcomes, and healthcare costs associated with managing chronic diseases in adulthood.