PROTECT RIGHTS

OBESITY could lead to non-communicable chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancers.

Unfortunately, Malaysia has the dubious distinction of having the highest prevalence of obesity in Southeast Asia. A sedentary lifestyle is among the main factors for the high incidence.

Whether obesity should be labelled a disease had been debated for years now. Some have classified obesity as a multi-metabolic and hormonal disease. The insurance companies may not be inclined to cover obesity due to the high risk of health problems. If they do accept coverage, the obese person could expect to pay a higher insurance premium.

In employment, an essential qualification for employment of a person is that the employee must be physically mobile. Generally, employers are reluctant to engage an employee with disability either because they are considered a “burden” or “liability” to the employer or that the employer has no facilities to house the disabled person.

Engaging a disabled person would mean the employer would incur extra costs by providing reasonable facilities in the workplace.

Disability can be categorised into disability before employment, or after employment. The issue that relates to the first category is exploitation due to the inadequacy of protective laws. In relation to disability after employment, the issues faced by the employee are that of victimisation, pressure or coercion to resign from employment, among others.

Generally, obese people are discriminated against when applying for jobs and when hired, they are more likely to be made redundant on the basis of their