Page 33 - Malaysian Dietary Supplement Industry Status and Outlook Report 2019-2020 Preview

By 2030, depression and mental Figure 1.12: Prevalence of Mental Health
health ailments may supersede heart Ailments among Malaysians.
diseases as the top disability among Source: National Health and Morbidity
Malaysians at the going rate. Survey 2015, National Health and Morbidity
Survey 2017.
Modern lifestyle impacts are not limited to physical
wellbeing. Heightened stress and pressure from work and/or
school significantly impact emotional wellbeing as well.
Findings from the recent National Health and Morbidity
Survey revealed that approximately n in 10 Malaysians (age
16+) suffer from at least one form of mental health ailment.
Worryingly, the trend is trickling down to children:

• Approximately n in 25 Malaysians age 15 and below
suffer from one form of mental health issue.

Among teenagers age 13 to 17:

• Approximately n in 5 are suffering from depression.
• Approximately n in 5 are suffering from anxiety.
• Approximately n in 10 are suffering from stress.

Sustained poor mental health without appropriate redress
leads to dire consequences. Case studies and anecdotes from
South Korea have linked increasing suicide rates and
tendencies to a poor mental health landscape. This
phenomenon seems to have begun seeping into the
Malaysian landscape in recent years, and all stakeholders
should look into this seriously.

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