PETALING JAYA: Raising taxes on sugar is good but not enough to tackle Malaysia’s alarming rates of obesity and diabetes as the problem lies with their cravings, say experts.
Promoting greater awareness that their sugar cravings are as harmful as other addictions to heroin, alcohol and gambling, is key to bringing down rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) caused by the sweetener, they said.
“The problem with being addicted to sugar, which studies suggest is as potent as being addicted to cocaine, is that few people recognise that it is a problem,” said counselling psychologist Dr Prem Kumar Shanmugam.
“People ignore it or don’t recognise that it is a problem. This is because unlike other substances where people get psychosis or hallucinate, sugar addicts are able to function in their daily lives,” said Dr Prem Kumar, who runs a chain of centres that treat addiction.
Like other harmful substances, sugar addiction works the same way by triggering the production of dopamine, a brain chemical that produces feelings of pleasure.
“Anything that excites the brain, we want more of it. So addicts keep feeding the body with sugar. But many don’t realise it’s a problem because to them, they are just drinking coke or teh tarik,” he said when contacted.
These sugar addicts could not stop consuming sugar despite knowing that it is bad for them, he said.
“It’s just like how someone addicted to drugs is unable to stop despite knowing that the substance is harmful.”
But addiction to sugar causes real problems.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 survey, 3.6 million adults or 15.6% of the population in Malaysia have diabetes.
On Sept 10, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said a higher sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax will be introduced in next month’s tabling of Budget 2025.
This is part of the ministry’s efforts to reduce NCDs among Malaysians.
Currently, an excise duty of 50 sen per litre is imposed on sugar-sweetened beverages, such as ready-to-drink packaged drinks with sugar exceeding 5g per 100ml as well as fruit or vegetable-based drinks with over 12g of sugar per 100ml.
Clinical psychologist Dr Noor Aishah Rosli said the pattern of how people deal with addiction depends on their income background.
“When it comes to sugar addiction, it is a coping mechanism and how we cope with it varies at different income levels.”
She said that sugar addiction is also about psychological issues, citing situations in which people deal with anxiety, sadness or depression by eating sweet things as a way to overcome those feelings
Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Prof Dr Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof said there was a need to understand the complex relationship between stress, sugar and addiction in addressing Malaysia’s NCDs.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences deputy dean said that consuming these sugary foods activates the brain’s reward system, providing a temporary sense of relief.
“When the body is under stress, it releases cortisol, which plays a key role in the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, preparing us to face immediate threats.
“However, chronic stress often does not require physical action. Instead, it leads to increased cravings for high-sugar and high-fat foods, which are quick sources of energy and comfort.”
“Unfortunately, this relief is short-lived, and the cycle of stress and sugar consumption often continues, contributing to weight gain and metabolic imbalances,” she said.
Additionally, she spoke of studies which found that when given a choice, rats often preferred a sweet substance over a drug like cocaine.
This suggested that the rewarding effect of intense sweetness can be even more compelling than some of the most addictive substances, she said.
