Only 40 percent of Malaysians practise a healthy lifestyle: Khairy

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said Malaysians in general have yet to practise a healthy lifestyle.

"Only 40 percent of Malaysians adopted a healthy lifestyle by making sports as a culture.

"It is not surprising to see developed countries such as Australia, Japan and United Kingdom do well in the Olympic Games because their people adopt a sports culture.

"How are we to find good replacement for Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Datuk Nicol David, Azizulhasni Awang and Pandelela Rinong if the people are not into sports?" he said when launching HSN21KM marathon at KBS Gallery, here today.

Khairy said the National Sports Day had created a push to form a sports culture among the people in the country.

"The ministry plans to make Malaysia a sporting nation with more than 60 percent of the people involved in fitness activities at least three times a week," he told a press conference after the launch.

Obesity which lead to heart diseases, hypertension and diabetes among Malaysians was getting more serious due to the unhealthy lifestyle and lack of participation in sports.

Khairy said the ministry aims to provide programmes such as FitMalaysia and National Sports Day to get Malaysians involved in sport and fitness activities.

"This is to raise the awareness of Malaysians and to change their lifestyle to create Malaysia as a sporting nation.

"I hope to see fit Malaysians as it will create an ecosystem which can produce more athletes who can bring honours to the country," he added.