Singapore needs a multi-prong, whole-of-society approach to tackle diabetes. In addition to government and individual efforts, the workplace is critical if we want to win this long-drawn war, says Dean, Professor Chia Kee Seng.
Unfortunately for many of us, especially in our early years of work, we tend to neglect our health in the pursuit of wealth. We need a collective shift in mind-set to not just focus on chasing ‘wealth’, but to form good habits for ‘health’ as well.
Prof Chia says that we ought to “cultivate good habits for wealth and health in the first 30 years of life; pursue both wealth and health in the next 30 years in order to enjoy wealth and health in the last 30 years”.
Employers can help by encouraging total workplace safety and health: in addition to promoting workplace safety measures, they should also put an equal emphasis on health promotion.
However, no matter how conducive the environment is for healthy living, it all comes back to personal choice. With help from the government and our employers, every one of us must also exercise the responsibility to take good care of our health.
Read Prof Chia’s opinion piece here:
- Take war on diabetes into the workplace, The Straits Times Opinion, 25 August 2017