Viral food trends popularised on social media are significantly contributing to Malaysia’s high sugar consumption, a nutrition expert has warned.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences deputy dean Dr Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof said the rise of “hipster” foods and digital food trends has led many Malaysians to unknowingly consume excessive amounts of sugar, particularly through sweetened drinks often perceived as healthy.
She said studies have shown that constant exposure to viral food content on social media encourages impulsive choices of high-sugar foods and beverages.
“The main sources of hidden sugar are sugar-sweetened beverages, especially iced tea, milk coffee, boba, and other viral drinks,” she said.
Dr Barakatun Nisak added that bottled fruit juices, flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals, modern pastries, and trendy desserts also contain high levels of hidden sugar.
“Many people are unaware of the sugar content because these foods do not taste overly sweet or are associated with a modern lifestyle,” she said.
According to the 2024 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), 59 per cent of Malaysian adults consume more than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages daily.
On average, adults consume nine teaspoons of sugar per day, nearly half of which comes from drinks, while adolescents consume an alarming 11.5 teaspoons daily.
These figures exceed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation to limit free sugar intake to less than 10 per cent of total daily energy, or about 50g (10 teaspoons), with a lower target of 25g (five teaspoons) for added health benefits.
Dr Barakatun Nisak cautioned that labels such as “less sweet” can be misleading and do not necessarily indicate low sugar content.
“Sugar does not directly cause diabetes, but excessive intake leads to weight gain and obesity, which increases insulin resistance and the risk of diabetes,” she said.
She encouraged the public to prioritise drinking plain water and to read nutrition labels carefully.
At the policy level, she said measures such as the Healthier Choice Logo, the increase in sugar-sweetened beverage excise duty to 90 sen per litre under Budget 2025, and the proposed Nutri-Grade labelling system are crucial in tackling the nation’s growing sugar problem.
