Health & Aging Archives - George Lee.my http://www.georgelee.my Tracing the past, laying the future bare Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:09:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Childhood Obesity Is At An All Time High – What Are We Doing Wrong? http://www.georgelee.my/2026/04/childhood-obesity-is-at-an-all-time-high-what-are-we-doing-wrong/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:07:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4288 2.8 million Malaysian children are overweight or obese. This was estimated in the World Obesity Atlas 2026 released in March. But childhood obesity is not a new problem we’re dealing with, so is this number enough to jolt us into urgent action? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by public health medicine specialist Dr […]

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]]> 2.8 million Malaysian children are overweight or obese. This was estimated in the World Obesity Atlas 2026 released in March. But childhood obesity is not a new problem we’re dealing with, so is this number enough to jolt us into urgent action? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by public health medicine specialist Dr Ruben Ramakrishnan to dive into what we’re doing wrong and how it’s not too late to turn the tide of childhood obesity. 


Image Credit: Shutterstock

Presenter: Tee Shiao Eek

Producer: Lim Sue Ann

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]]> How To Build A Habit Of Exercising (Sustainably) http://www.georgelee.my/2026/03/how-to-build-a-habit-of-exercising-sustainably/ Fri, 27 Mar 2026 02:31:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4277 Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh recently announced an 80% reduction in gym licence fees in KL, hoping that gym owners will be able to pass on the discount to their clientele as part of broader efforts to tackle obesity. Whether or not the discount is significant enough to pass on to consumers, there is another […]

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]]> Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh recently announced an 80% reduction in gym licence fees in KL, hoping that gym owners will be able to pass on the discount to their clientele as part of broader efforts to tackle obesity. Whether or not the discount is significant enough to pass on to consumers, there is another question to ask: what motivates people to exercise? Is it just about cheaper gym memberships or something more? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by yoga instructor Charmaine Ang to chat about what gets them moving and how habits can be cultivated.


Image Credit: Shutterstock

Presenter: Lim Sue Ann

Producer: Lim Sue Ann

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]]> Why Is Malaysia Worse Than Our Neighbours In Tackling Childhood Stunting? http://www.georgelee.my/2026/02/why-is-malaysia-worse-than-our-neighbours-in-tackling-childhood-stunting/ Fri, 13 Feb 2026 02:34:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4249 “Richer than its neighbours but doing worse on child nutrition.” That’s how Malaysia was described by non-profit research publication Our World In Data, as they put together a graph that showed malnutrition or childhood stunting rates in Malaysia and some of our neighbours. But why is this happening? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined […]

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]]> “Richer than its neighbours but doing worse on child nutrition.” That’s how Malaysia was described by non-profit research publication Our World In Data, as they put together a graph that showed malnutrition or childhood stunting rates in Malaysia and some of our neighbours. But why is this happening? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by nutritionist Prof Dr Poh Bee Koon from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia to discuss. 

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]]> What The Base MHIT Plan Is All About http://www.georgelee.my/2026/01/what-the-base-mhit-plan-is-all-about/ Fri, 30 Jan 2026 03:01:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4229 Last week, the government announced that they’ll be rolling out a new base medical and health insurance/takaful plan in 2027, in line with a host of health reforms that are in the works. Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by Dr Muralli Munisamy, medical director of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia and Mark […]

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]]> Last week, the government announced that they’ll be rolling out a new base medical and health insurance/takaful plan in 2027, in line with a host of health reforms that are in the works. Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by Dr Muralli Munisamy, medical director of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia and Mark O’Dell, CEO of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia, to dive into what has been announced and whether it will improve access to healthcare for all Malaysians.

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]]> Falls Prevention for Seniors http://www.georgelee.my/2026/01/falls-prevention-for-seniors/ Fri, 09 Jan 2026 04:45:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4224 Earlier this week, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was hospitalised after he had a fall and fractured his hip. While he’s reported to be in a stable condition, falls are especially dangerous for older adults and he will remain in hospital for several weeks for observation. Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined […]

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]]> Earlier this week, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was hospitalised after he had a fall and fractured his hip. While he’s reported to be in a stable condition, falls are especially dangerous for older adults and he will remain in hospital for several weeks for observation. Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by consultant geriatrician Dr Terence Ong to dive into why falls can be devastating for older adults and key strategies to stay safe within their homes.

Image credit: Shutterstock.

Presenter: Lim Sue Ann

Producer: Lim Sue Ann

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]]> CDC Says Hepatitis B Jab Not Recommended For All Newborns http://www.georgelee.my/2025/12/cdc-says-hepatitis-b-jab-not-recommended-for-all-newborns/ Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:59:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4204 This month, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) struck out a universal recommendation to start hepatitis B immunisation at birth for children in the US – announcing instead that the jab should only be given to infants born to women who test positive for the virus. We look at why this move […]

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]]> This month, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) struck out a universal recommendation to start hepatitis B immunisation at birth for children in the US – announcing instead that the jab should only be given to infants born to women who test positive for the virus. We look at why this move could lead to a rise in chronic hepatitis infections and liver disease in the long term, and how Malaysia should view this decision by the US.

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]]> Why Rheumatoid Arthritis Needs To Be Diagnosed Early http://www.georgelee.my/2025/11/why-rheumatoid-arthritis-needs-to-be-diagnosed-early/ Fri, 28 Nov 2025 07:17:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4189 Rheumatoid arthritis is often diagnosed late, forcing patients to live with daily pain and disruptions to their lives as the disease progresses. We speak to consultant rheumatologist Associate Professor Dr Fariz Yahya, who is the President of the Arthritis Foundation Malaysia, to find out how to improve diagnosis and care for patients with RA.

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]]> Rheumatoid arthritis is often diagnosed late, forcing patients to live with daily pain and disruptions to their lives as the disease progresses. We speak to consultant rheumatologist Associate Professor Dr Fariz Yahya, who is the President of the Arthritis Foundation Malaysia, to find out how to improve diagnosis and care for patients with RA.

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]]> What A “Ghost Poop” Tells You About Your Gut Health http://www.georgelee.my/2025/10/what-a-ghost-poop-tells-you-about-your-gut-health/ Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:28:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4157 You might have seen people talk about having “ghost poops” on social media, and no, this isn’t related to Halloween. What it refers to is stool that is easy to pass and leaves no residue when you wipe yourself. But what does this actually tell you about your gut health and bowel movements? Consultant urologist […]

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]]> You might have seen people talk about having “ghost poops” on social media, and no, this isn’t related to Halloween. What it refers to is stool that is easy to pass and leaves no residue when you wipe yourself. But what does this actually tell you about your gut health and bowel movements? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by consultant gastroenterologist Dr Madhav Kudva to answer all your questions about how to achieve that perfect poo.

Presenter: Tee Shiao Eek

Producer: Lim Sue Ann

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]]> Budget 2026 And The Needs of An Ageing Population http://www.georgelee.my/2025/10/budget-2026-and-the-needs-of-an-ageing-population/ Fri, 17 Oct 2025 04:37:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4150 Catering to the needs of an ageing population means planning ahead and setting aside enough funds for those policies and programmes, but with aged care so glaringly missing from Budget 2026, are we doing enough to plan ahead? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by Chai Sen Tyng, Senior Research Officer at the Malaysian […]

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]]> Catering to the needs of an ageing population means planning ahead and setting aside enough funds for those policies and programmes, but with aged care so glaringly missing from Budget 2026, are we doing enough to plan ahead? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by Chai Sen Tyng, Senior Research Officer at the Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (MyAgeing) to break down how Budget 2026 addresses the needs of an ageing population and the people who need to care for them. 


Image Credit: Shutterstock

Presenter: Tee Shiao Eek

Producer: Lim Sue Ann

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]]> Rehab in Palliative Care http://www.georgelee.my/2025/09/rehab-in-palliative-care/ Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:07:00 +0000 http://www.georgelee.my/?p=4140 When someone is diagnosed with a life-limiting disease, palliative care is important to help patients live with good quality of life. Rehab therapy can play a role in helping patients with issues like pain, lack of mobility or loss of function, to support patients in being as active as possible, even if their illness progresses. […]

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]]> When someone is diagnosed with a life-limiting disease, palliative care is important to help patients live with good quality of life. Rehab therapy can play a role in helping patients with issues like pain, lack of mobility or loss of function, to support patients in being as active as possible, even if their illness progresses. Consultant rehabilitation physician Dr Intan Sabrina joins us to talk about the role of rehab therapy in palliative care.

Presenter: Tee Shiao Eek

Producer: Tee Shiao Eek, Alex Daud Briggs

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