Page 23 - PULSE@UM 2nd Issue 2019

community programmes community programmes

during their community posting in July 2018. manage stress), prevention and management RCE WALKING FOOTBALL: A UMCARES INITIATIVE
The program took part by volunteers from of obesity, mental health, diabetes mellitus
the community (including some medical and hypertension. Meanwhile, their progress
graduates waiting for posting), medical will be well-monitored by their life coaches
professionals and academicians. to help them achieve their ultimate goals.
Participants were also sent with educational
This program has been officiated on 12 materials and health diaries in addition
January 2019, in Taman Medan Cahaya. The to activities conducted regularly (cooking
program is running for a 9 month period, demonstration, exercise / Zumba classes,
however, it has started since last October to supermarket sweep, health talks etc).
December 2018 with 3-month low-intensity
activities such as Zumba classes, boot camps, At the meantime, health screening, treatment
health talks, supermarket sweep; followed and monitoring of the 50 families are
by a 6-month personalized health coaching performed by the Klinik Keluarga Taman
program from January to June 2019. Medan, with constant feedback between
healthcare professionals and the life coaches.
In this program, fifty households were identified Until today, the outcome of the program seems
and invited to participate, with peer support promising and it is hoped that the program
and peer mentoring elements implemented. may be modified and replicated in other
Each family was assigned a trained life coach, residences and localities to suit respective
with individualized healthy living goals set localized conditions and needs. With this,
for each participant. During this period, they communities enroll in the program could be
received intensive coaching on various aspects empowered and proactive to take ownership DR HAIREEN BINTI ABDUL HADI level and excessive weight gain. Studies also
of maintaining healthy lifestyles (healthy diet, of their own health. DEPT OF PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE showed that overweight and obese children
increased physical activity, quit smoking, have a high tendency to grow into obese adults.
he global incidence and prevalence of
Tchildhood obesity is on the rise due to In view of these alarming statistics, the first
the poor quality of food intake and habits, experiential-based learning initiatives under
increasing watching time and sedentary UMCares - “Walking Football Club (WFC)”, was
lifestyle. In 2015, Malaysia National Health introduced in 2017 to eight primary schools in
and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) showed that Petaling Jaya district as a community project
38% of Malaysia school children are either to combat obesity in school. With this, children
overweight or obese. are actively engaging in physical activities,
which are in line with the policies and campaign
From the survey, it was noted that these of “Satu murid, Satu sukan” and “10K steps a
children usually have limited opportunities day” by the Ministry of Education and Ministry
to participate in sports activities due to their of Health, respectively.
limitations in movement and fitness levels. In
this regards, it is a known fact that children who This project inculcated encouraging results
are less active with fewer physical or sports whereby those who participated in walking
activities had been related to poor fitness football had an improved fitness level, showing

22 23