Malaysia's Obesity Epidemic from an Occupational Therapy Perspective

O T

WHYObesity?

How do Malaysians currently address this?

Quick Fix Slimming Products

http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/weight-loss-prescription-weight-loss-medicine

Focus on individual, biomedical approaches only.

Founded in fear.

Depend on external factors – client does not take ownership / responsibility for own health.

Approaches may not necessarily be correct.

See health professional

Medical doctors, dieticians, nutritionists.

Other health professionals

Health Condition

OccupationalTherapists

FOOD

WEIGHT

LIFESTYLE GOALS

WHAT DOES THE WORLD LOOK LIKE?

THE KAWA MODEL

PASTPRESENT

FUTURE

THE KAWA MODEL

PAST

Malay

Muslim

60+%

Agriculture

Chinese

20+%

Commerce

Indian

10+%

Labour

PRESENT

Works 9 am – 4 pm with no lunch break

Administrative job

Mother

“Why do my friends from Malaysia like to

give me food?”

- Taiwanese OTs

I think we can have balance of life by eating delicious food!

~ Akiyo Harigae

Food as an expression of love.

DBKL behaviour

DBKL Behaviour

sinfulguilty weak

*amsogonnaregretthis!*

Bad influence

Make up for it with 100 squats!

So what do we get out of

this?

OTs need to work with families.

Clients as collective in order to increase success rate.

All must be on same page.

Clients need to be able to know how to work with environments, not allow environments to stop them.

(knowledge = driftwood?)

Developing soft skills in clients:

Ability to turn down food (posture / self belief / confidence + diplomacy),

Improving interactions between family members

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