Football Training: Prophylaxis of Hypertension and Prediabetes in Malaysia

Abstract

According to the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), 3.4 million Malaysians are affected by at least two of the three major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), i.e., diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. The fundamental issue in Malaysia is that individuals are unwilling to attend the hospital for periodic examinations and to seek preventative medical care. It is necessary to adapt football training as a hobby and concurrently as a preventative measure against the NCDs as it appears to be the optimal strategy. In Germany, a prospective interventional study was conducted. Statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 revealed that providing middle-aged hypertensive patients with football training can improve blood pressure control and minimize the need for antihypertensive medication. Using SPSS version 22, it has been demonstrated in a randomized control trial in the Faroe Islands that football training combined with professional nutrition counseling had a greater effect on metabolic and cardiovascular health prediabetes individuals aged 55 to 70 than expert dietary advice alone. At the state level, Selangor has greatly progressed in health sector reform. Initiatives to minimize noncommunicable diseases have received special attention. This study implies that the mission and vision of the Selangor Health and Sports Council align. After a comprehensive assessment, a viable policy for integrating football training as a preventative intervention should be considered.