Cholesterol the biggest worry

Concerned participants make a beeline for talks on diet and nutrition

melizarani@thestar.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: Cholesterol was a common worry among the attendees of FitForLife KL 2017, the nation’s largest health and wellness fair.

With Malaysia’s obesity and diabetes rates said to be among the highest in the Asean region, participants were diligently taking notes during the Great Eastern and Vitacare session titled “Food for Healthy Living” featuring Swedish biologist Nils Bokstrom.

“Eat less fat and you will grow more fat.

“The best source of good fat comes from the oil palm fruits and kernel.

“By lowering your carb intake and increasing your good fat intake by consuming dairy products, meat and adding palm oil in your cooking, you can reduce your risk of heart disease and lose weight effortlessly,” he said.

Dozens of health enthusiasts also filled the seats of the Nestle Omega Plus talk on reducing cholesterol by dietitian Dr Ng Kar Foo.

Dr Ng said people need to pay closer attention to labels and choose the right foods to add to their diet.

“If a packaging says ‘ No Trans Fat’, most of the time it refers to that serving or portion. If you eat more than one serving, there will be trans fats in your diet.

“There are fats that come from plants and fish that are good for your body and should be in your diet,” he said.

What if someone in the family does not like to eat fish?

Dr Ng’s answer to that was: “It doesn’t mean you stop buying fish. Change the way you cook fish, but don’t remove it from your family’s diet completely.”

Aside from talks, there was a good variety of booths on remedies, supplements and health informa- tion by notable organisations.

One product that caught everyone’s eye was Olivenol, a health supplement derived from olives.

“Olivenol is made from olive juice, which has been freeze-dried into powder and encapsulated.

“One capsule contains two kg worth of olives,” said Olivenol assistant product manager Karen Cheong.

The fair had something for everyone, from cholesterol checks to a virtual reality gaming booth.

Hotel manager Eric Chan grabbed the opportunity to try the virtual reality Wacky Moles game at Great Eastern’s booth.

“This is a great way to release stress and it is a lot more fun than the usual video games.”

FitForLife KL 2017, with the theme “Get Fit. Live Great!”, was organised by Star Media Group Bhd with Great Eastern Life as the exclusive event partner.

Nestle Omega Plus is the official wellness sponsor.

The three-day fair, which was held at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, ended yesterday.