Diets in Urban and Rural Areas

Rapid changes in diets and lifestyles that have occurred with urbanization, economic development and market globalization have accelerated over the past decade. These changes affect the health status of populations, particularly in developed countries and undeveloped countries. Healthy lifestyle is defined as a habit which helps us live in fit, energetic, and at reduced risk for disease. Referring to the information by the United States Census Bureau (URCB), 7.068 billion of human live on earth. How many of them are aware about their lifestyle? We just don’t need to look in a large view such the world population, let’s just look in a smaller scope like in Malaysia. With the population of 29.18 billion estimated by URCB, just how many of Malaysians are really aware about healthy lifestyle? Living in different places such as urban or rural areas would be a factor on how they determine their lifestyle. People in the developed countries are more informed about living in a healthy lifestyle which make their life healthier and fitter than the people in the undeveloped countries, whereas people in Malaysia who live in an urban area are more aware and concern about living in a healthy way and the people who live in a rural area should be educated and well-informed about their way of living, as failure to do so will increase the risk of disease and ultimately lead the deaths of untold innocent people. Firstly, people who live in an urban area, 72.20% out of Malaysians are more aware about healthy lifestyle. Comparing the health status in Kuala Lumpur and in Kelantan, the rate of obesity and diabetes is higher in Kelantan than in Kuala Lumpur. There are some reasons why people in urban areas are more aware of leading a healthy lifestyle. Living in an urban area means that you are in a circle of attaining the information especially from the government. People in urban areas are more knowledgeable compared to the people in rural areas. They pay more attention to their healthier habits even though they are so immersed in their busy schedules. They are aware of what they are eating, whether it is nutritional or harmful to them. They are more informed about the healthy lifestyle as they are able to access the educational information about healthy living via internet such as MyHEALTHportal. This portal was developed by the Ministry of Health under the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Tele-health Flagship Application. The public will be able to access the health information and advice. Besides, in urban areas, there are more facilities and recreational areas such as gyms and jogging tracks which they can spend their time doing exercises. As a result, dissemination of the health information and more health facilities can contribute to the awareness of the communities in urban areas. Secondly, people who live in a rural area are not aware of healthy lifestyle. How about the 27.80% of people in Malaysia who like to live in rural areas? There are some reasons why people in rural areas are not really concern and aware about their health. Living in a rural area means that you are further away from the circle of attaining the information especially the information about health. People from rural areas are unable to access to the internet and some other mass media components like newspapers and health bulletins. They don’t have knowledge on how to live in a healthier way. About eating, they just eat whatever to please their hungry without thinking the nutritional content in the food. They also have problems in accessing to the hospital to get treatments from doctors. Sometimes, they just get treatment from their unknowledgeable elders rather than going to the hospital. For example, some places in Sarawak and Sabah, which can’t be reached by land transports such as cars and motorcycles, their main transport is sampan or boat to reach to the health facilities. It is not easy for them to have a good treatment from an expert. Clearly, people in rural areas are not aware of healthy lifestyle because they are not well-informed and having less health facilities. Besides, some proper ways need to be held to inform people in Malaysia especially for the people who live in a rural area. They are more comfortable with their life which they practise it for the whole time in their daily life. That is why we need to have a good plan in a good way to approach them in rural areas to have a good health. Firstly, they need to be informed on how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Campaign like a health programme should be held by the Ministry of Health to educate the people on how to live healthier. The experts should visit the rural areas to spread more information about health. They should approach people and educate them on how important a healthy lifestyle and they should be told the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle. Besides, more recreational areas and jogging tracks should be built in rural areas as it can influence the residents to spend their time doing exercises. Furthermore, they need to be told how to eat well. They should know which food is nutritional and crucial for them to take in large amounts and in fewer amounts following the food pyramid. As a result, people in rural areas should be focussed on and not to be neglected by the government as they are also the one who contribute the overall health of Malaysia. In conclusions, healthy lifestyle is very important to live happily and ensures a longer life span as well as a life free of diseases. One can ignore that and leads a life that exposes to many harmful diseases. It is not important where do we live, whether in an urban area or in a rural area, we should have awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyle. All people from all walks of life should be responsible to take an action to live healthier and fitter in order to contribute to the overall health of the country. The government especially the Ministry of Health should be the most responsible one in order to reduce the gap between the awareness of the people from urban areas and the people from rural areas. The people from urban areas also should lend a hand to help the one in rural areas to improve their lifestyle by visiting or educating the people there. The one in rural areas are the responsible one to be aware on their lifestyle and have the open-minded thinking to change their lifestyle better. As the saying goes, ‘If you do not have good health, you do not have wealth’. (1114 words)