Survey: 75% of Malaysians Agree that A Healthy Breakfast is Important

In conjunction with Healthy Breakfast Month, Herbalife Nutrition, the premier global nutrition company has collaborated with the Nutrition Society of Malaysia (NSM) to highlight the importance of having a healthy and nutrition-balanced breakfast to kick-start the day. That campaign titled ‘Getting It Right at Breakfast’ will see a series of jointly produced educational content across multiple channels to teach Malaysians about good nutrition, especially for breakfast.

Dr Tan Sue Yee, a Nutritionist from NSM – whose notable works include the MyBreakfast Study, the largest nationwide study on breakfast habits involving both primary and secondary children – said, “After the recommended 8 hours of sleep, our body needs energy. Having breakfast is the best fuel you can provide for your brain and body, as you start the day at home. This is important for both working adults and children, as a healthy breakfast helps them stay focused throughout the day. However, all too often we rush to get our day started and forget about consuming a nutritious meal in the morning. Now that most Malaysians are staying at home, let’s ensure we set aside 10 minutes to have a quick yet wholesome breakfast every day.”

“Healthy and balanced meals come in many different forms and, contrary to popular belief, can be easy to prepare. Malaysians can make use of healthy ready-to-eat breakfast foods to prepare a quick meal such as yoghurt topped with fruits, rolled oats or instant oats, or blend soy milk with fruits to make a smoothie. We just need to follow the right proportions of each food group to match our dietary needs. For instance, incorporating an amount of protein in your breakfast will help keep you satisfied for a longer time, and in turn, can reduce the urge for any unnecessary snacking,” she added.

According to an Asia Pacific Breakfast Habits survey by Herbalife Nutrition, 75% of Malaysian respondents think that it is important to have a daily healthy breakfast. The barriers to consuming healthier breakfast are that healthier breakfast options are expensive (30%), they do not matter to them (28%) and that they are not readily accessible (26%). However, as a result of the current situation, many have made changes to their breakfast meals, with 52% of the Malaysian respondents making sure they have a nutritionally balanced meal at breakfast, 50% drinking more water at breakfast and 47% incorporating more fresh produce into their breakfast.

The Healthy Breakfast Month campaign further highlights the need for good nutrition to build immunity during this critical time. Maintaining a healthy diet plays an important part of creating and maintaining a strong immune system.

“I am glad to see that most Malaysian respondents are aware of the importance of eating breakfast, and many have made positive changes to their breakfast meals,” said Steven Chin, Senior Director/General Manager of Herbalife Nutrition Malaysia and Singapore. “However, our survey also revealed that 50% of the Malaysian respondents who do not consume breakfast on a daily basis reported lack of time and appetite in the morning as the two main barriers preventing them from eating breakfast. In fact, one can easily overcome the obstacles by waking up 15 minutes earlier to prepare something healthy and fast. This is why we have introduced the Healthy Breakfast Pack to make it really easy for consumers to prepare a tasty, nutritious, healthy breakfast every day.”

Herbalife Nutrition’s Healthy Breakfast Pack consists of Formula 1 Nutritious Mixed Soy Protein Drink, Herbal Aloe Concentrate Mix and Tea Mix to ensure the body is nourished, hydrated and energized to kick start the day. For more information on the pack, please visit herbalife.com.my.