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@ Halal | July-August . 2021
OVERWEIGHT and obesity have impacted nations globally , with the rising trends observed even in the poorest countries in the world . No nation is spared from this plague , including Malaysia . Our country is , after all , considered by many as the world food paradise . But this reputation comes at a price - the tag as the fattest nation in Asia .
Our children are getting fatter !
Statistically , about 50.1 per cent of Malaysian adults were either overweight or obese in 2019 . Unfortunately , our children did not fare better . We are ranked as the second-highest in Southeast Asia for obesity among children aged five to 19 years .
Without proper intervention , it was predicted that 1.65 million Malaysian children would be overweight or obese in less than four years .
Childhood obesity is worrisome for some reasons . Dietary habits formed during childhood are challenging to break and can last a lifetime . Chances are overweight and obese children are more likely to become obese adults .
This also increases their likelihood to develop non-communicable diseases ( NCDs ) such as diabetes and heart disease at an earlier age . NCDs burden national healthcare , affect national productivity and thus impede our social and economic development . This calls for early education and intervention .
No one-size-fits-all intervention
Obesity is preventable . Education and intervention in the early years of life could nurture healthy behaviour well into adulthood . Researchers have developed and tested multiple interventions to prevent obesity among children by realising the importance of early intervention .
The orientation and range of interventions are diverse , from knowledge to behavioural orientation , from a single component and setting to multi-components and multi-setting approaches .
The focus of intervention also varied and range from individual to the food environment . All of these are in efforts to inculcate healthy diet and lifestyles .
Despite the ongoing efforts , experts are sceptical on how effective these measures are to universally curb the overweight and obesity threat .
Especially as most of these measures were developed and tested in the western context . Many interventions are non-inclusive with very little consideration of cultural aspect .
It seems that there is no one-size-fits-all intervention that works for all .
Halalan Toyyiban Diet - the key to solve our national health threat ?
Interventions need to be culturally appropriate and tailored to the target participant and community . As such , we should look for solutions closer to home - reflecting and pondering on solutions that are not only closer to our culture but deep-rooted in our faith .
Faith is intrinsically interwoven in the lives of many Malaysian Muslims . So , could
Childhood obesity is worrisome
Overweight children are more likely to become obese adults
BY ANIS NAJIHA AHMAD
AND
BY YUMI ZUHANIS HAS-YUN HASHIM
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HALAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING ( INHART ), INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA the halalan toyyiban diet , a century-old diet , be the critical component of an intervention to nurture children ’ s healthy eating ?
HALAL yay , TOYYIB nay
There are ample verses in the Quran that command us to embrace and practice “ halalan toyyiban ”. The embodiment of this Quranic command would make the Muslim countries among the healthiest in the world - ideally .
But this is far-fetched from reality . For example , none of the Muslim-majority countries made it to the Top 10 in the Bloomberg Global Health Index 2020 . Quite the contrary , the previous study has shown that more than a third ( 37.4 per cent ) of adults in 46 Muslim countries are either overweight or obese .
One may ask , what hinders Muslims to benefit from the halalan toyyiban diet and healthy lifestyle ?
The answer may lie in our failure to embrace the “ halalan toyyiban ” concept holistically . And worryingly , we falsely pass on this notion and practice to the next generation .
We expose our children early about the sources of halal food and drinks . But how many would point out that Islam also commands us to choose foods that are toyyib ( good , wholesome )?
With very little expectation for the children to choose toyyib food , it comes as no surprise that many end up purchasing halal foods and drinks that are not toyyib .”
Nowadays , we are very particular in reminding our children to purchase products with a halal logo , but are we asking them to check the nutrition label ?
With very little expectation for the children to choose toyyib food , it comes as no surprise that many end up purchasing halal foods and drinks that are not toyyib .
Reviving the real halalan toyyiban
Toyyib needs to be advocated together with halal to be visible ; it is repeatedly mentioned in the Quran . Therefore , intervention is necessary to promote a healthy diet and re-introduce the real meaning of the halalan toyyiban diet to our children .
We must arm our children with the correct knowledge and understanding about the halalan toyyiban diet . It is the role of the adults to shape children ’ s belief systems , habit and conduct .
Steering the children into a direction in line with Islamic teachings , including in their eating conduct , is part of Prophet Muhammad ’ s ( PBUH ) tradition .
It has been narrated that on one occasion , Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) gave advice to one of his stepsons living with him :
Dear child , mention Allah ’ s name , eat with your right hand , and eat from what is next to you . [ al-Bukhari and Muslim ]
School as the intervention hub
While intervention could be done in various settings , no other institution is ideal as a school to promote healthy dietary habits . Children , for instance , spend countless hours in school ; they eat at least one time at school ( at least before the Covid-19 pandemic !).
Schools provide opportunities for children to systematically obtain the much-needed knowledge for them to consciously select halalan toyyiban food and beverages .
The environment , policies , and school facilities , the all-in-all combination , makes it the perfect hub for appropriate eating behaviours intervention .
There are few ways to integrate the halalan toyyiban diet as part of a faith-based intervention to promote healthy eating in school . For instance , the halalan toyyiban diet can be taught as part of the school curriculum or health programme .
Campaigns ( e . g . posters ) and school policies that encourage healthy behaviour ( e . g . portion control , fasting ) can be infused with Islamic-based tailored messages or Islamic narratives .
Healthy food choices ( e . g ., fruit and vegetable ) can be popularised as halalan toyyiban selection . In addition , teachers can be trained as agents to model healthy behaviours .
These faith-based intervention strategies could also complement non-faith-based methods , including nutritional literacy , healthy recipes , social media , and physical activity interventions . The possibilities are indeed endless .
More than a tool in faith-based intervention
Nevertheless , the halalan toyyiban diet is more than a tool in faith-based intervention . Advocating it is certainly not a mere act of leveraging religious-based messages to promote health and well-being .
Most importantly , embracing the halalan toyyiban diet reflects our commitment to fulfilling the command of God - to consume food and beverages that are both halal and toyyib . A means to manifest Islam as a universal way of life .
It will take a long road for us to finally reverse the obesity ( and overweight ) epidemic . So what is a better way to start the transformation than nurturing a healthy generation of children via halalan toyyiban ?
These children are , after all , our future legacy .