Malaysia’s Diabetes Lifestyle Programme (DLP) has been renewed for another five years, with support from Abbott, as six healthcare organisations strengthen efforts to make structured lifestyle intervention part of routine diabetes care.

“According to the programme organisers, patients who completed the six-month programme recorded improvements in weight, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose levels and cardiometabolic risk factors”

The renewal was formalised at a signing ceremony witnessed by Dato’ Dr Mohd Azman bin Yacob, Deputy Director General of Health (Medical) at the Ministry of Health Malaysia.

The participating organisations are the Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society (MEMS), Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), Malaysian Family Medicine Specialists’ Association (FMSA), Malaysian Dietitians’ Association (MDA), Malaysian Diabetes Educators Society (MDES) and Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia (AFPM).

“Diabetes remains one of Malaysia’s most prevalent health concerns. Its impact extends beyond individuals living with the condition, affecting families, communities, healthcare resources and the broader economy. While advances in medical therapies continue to improve diabetes care, prevention, early intervention and effective long-term self-management remain essential to improving health outcomes,” said Dato’ Dr Mohd Azman bin Yacob.

“The Diabetes Lifestyle Programme has supported healthcare professionals in strengthening the delivery of lifestyle interventions in routine diabetes care through evidence-based education and multidisciplinary collaboration. It has also contributed to equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to engage people living with diabetes more effectively in adopting healthier behaviours, including improvements in nutrition, physical activity and weight management.

“Continued efforts to strengthen healthcare professionals’ capabilities and empower individuals with the knowledge, skills and support needed to adopt sustainable lifestyle changes are important in improving diabetes management, quality of life and the overall health and well-being of our population.”

Established in 2021, DLP has trained 11,570 healthcare professionals and accredited 5,360 DLP Advocates. The network supports people living with diabetes through nutrition advice, physical activity guidance, behavioural change support and other evidence-based lifestyle interventions.

The programme was implemented in 51 Klinik Kesihatan nationwide in 2023. According to the programme organisers, patients who completed the six-month programme recorded improvements in weight, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose levels and cardiometabolic risk factors.

In 2025, DLP expanded its web-based patient programme with features supporting dietary management, physical activity, blood glucose self-monitoring and long-term behaviour change. The programme also began a tertiary-care pilot at the Institute of Endocrinology, Hospital Putrajaya, for people with more complex diabetes management needs.

Datuk Dr Zanariah Hussein, Chairperson of the DLP Expert Panel, said: “The progress achieved through DLP over the past five years reflects a growing recognition among healthcare professionals that lifestyle intervention is an essential component of diabetes management. As we enter the next phase of the programme, our focus will be on expanding access to training, strengthening clinical guidance and its application in real-world settings, and leveraging digital technology to support both healthcare professionals and patients. Ultimately, we aim to make structured lifestyle intervention more accessible and actionable across the diabetes care continuum.”

Speaking to PP Health Malaysia (PPHM), Datuk Dr Zanariah Hussein said, “Over the years, the evidence has clearly shown that patients do better when lifestyle intervention is incorporated into their diabetes care. The challenges have always been getting the message across but as we move into Phase 2, the programme will continue to fill an important gap by educating more healthcare professionals and equipping them to support patients with practical lifestyle advice and structured interventions.”

Over the next five years, the DLP will focus on three strategic priorities to strengthen structured lifestyle intervention as part of diabetes care in Malaysia. The first is to train an additional 10,000 to 12,000 healthcare professionals across primary and specialist care settings. The training will equip them to provide patients with practical advice and support on nutrition, physical activity, weight management and other aspects of lifestyle change.

The second is the introduction of a DLP lifestyle tracker mobile application. The app will support meal planning, food and physical activity tracking, personalised goal-setting and progress monitoring under the guidance of healthcare professionals.

During a panel session, Dr Nina Mazera Mohd Said, the Nutrition Medical Director at Abbott told PPHM that the new phase would involve moving from a web-based platform to a mobile application.

“The new phase involves transitioning from a web app to a mobile app. The application is evidence-based and has been developed around what works on the ground, incorporating feedback from experts and healthcare professionals and drawing on evidence-based lifestyle interventions,” she said.

Prof Dr Winnie Chee of the Malaysian Dietitians’ Association said data showed that patients needed a structured approach to make lifestyle intervention effective and turn healthier behaviours into lasting habits.

“The data shows that people need structure for lifestyle intervention to be effective. With the right structure and continued support, these interventions can become habits. I hope primary healthcare will eventually be able to prescribe lifestyle interventions in much the same way that medicines are prescribed,” she added.

Dr Sri Wahyu of the Malaysian Family Medicine Specialists’ Association (FMSA) said the application could also support patients in rural Klinik Kesihatan, provided they were taught how to use it and received support from healthcare professionals.

“The application can work even in rural Klinik Kesihatan, provided patients are taught how to use it. We need the support of healthcare professionals to bring the programme to the ground and help patients use the tools effectively,” she said.

The third priority is the development of an evidence-based professional framework for structured diabetes lifestyle intervention. The framework is expected to provide practical and culturally relevant guidance on nutrition, physical activity, weight management, sleep and behaviour modification.

It will also support personalised lifestyle counselling and shared decision-making, helping healthcare professionals apply structured interventions more consistently across primary and specialist care.