More among S’pore’s Indian community aware of need for healthier lifestyles, preventive screening
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Mr Ravindren Ganasen, whose family has a history of diabetes, lost 25kg over four years by changing his diet.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
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SINGAPORE – Having seen how diabetes afflicted his father, mother and younger brother, Mr Ravindren Ganasen decided to take his health more seriously when he reached his mid-40s.
He cut all sugary drinks from his diet, reduced his rice intake and ate more protein. In four years, the 1.86m-tall regional sales manager at an information technology firm lost 25kg, dropping from 130kg to 105kg.
“The doctor said my cholesterol level and blood pressure are quite good for my age,” said Mr Ravindren, now 54, who is also vice-president of the People’s Association’s (PA) Indian Activity Executive Committees Council (Narpani Pearavai).
He shared his story at the annual Narpani Community Carnival on July 14, which aimed to promote healthy living and family bonding within the Indian community.
Grassroots leaders with the PA said there was some evidence of greater health consciousness among Singaporeans in recent years, given the concerted push by community groups and the Government to manage one’s health before problems arise.
Narpani Pearavai provides funding to the Indian activity executive committees at 99 community centres around Singapore to organise health activities for their residents. These include health screenings and talks, said Mr Jay Suresh Radah, the carnival’s organising chairman.
“Compared to the last five years, I’d say now there is more awareness (of healthy living),” said the civil servant. “We see more residents voluntarily joining the eye and diabetic screenings.”
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who was at the carnival, said every community in Singapore faces its own health challenges and urged participants to live a healthier lifestyle.
Mr Ong noted that the Chinese exercised the least but ate the most fats and sodium; the Malay community has the highest obesity and smoking rates; while diabetes and sugar consumption is a concern for the Indian community.
“Every community, we have our own problems. So reach out to (those in) our own community, and correct our bad habits,” said the minister.
A government work group was set up in 2021 to focus on improving the health of ethnic minority groups here, including the Malay and Indian communities.
At the debate on the Ministry of Health’s budget that year,
She noted that in 2020, 14.4 per cent of Malays and 14.2 per cent of Indians had diabetes, compared with 8.2 per cent of Chinese.
Meanwhile, the Chinese consistently have the highest age-standardised cancer rates, though the proportion of Malays across all cases of cancer have gradually increased over the decades, she added.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung at the Narpani Community Carnival on July 14.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
On July 14, Mr Ravindren said more healthy-living interest groups, such as those focused on running, have been forming among the Indian community, beyond the usual arts and culture-based interest groups.
Mr G. Segar, 60, an executive director at Jones Lang LaSalle, leads about 12 people on monthly walks around Singapore. The vice-president of Narpani Pearavai also commits to walking 12,000 steps a day.
“Around my estate in Tampines, there are a lot of gardens and park connectors, so I make use of them. I call it my ‘me-time’, with my earplugs and music on,” he said with a chuckle.
Mr G. Segar leads about 12 people on monthly walks around Singapore. He also commits to walking 12,000 steps a day.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The carnival at Palawan Green in Sentosa saw more than 4,000 people visit information and game booths, such as one by the Health Promotion Board focused on ways to achieve a balanced diet.
There were also song and dance performances, while eligible visitors were encouraged to enrol in Healthier SG, Singapore’s national healthcare plan focusing on preventive care.
Families could also join a group race, which required them to go to seven locations at the Palawan and Siloso beaches and solve challenges.
The winning group, comprising two pairs of married couples who are family friends, took it as a workout – they ran about 3km and burnt 230 calories each, according to their tracking devices.
One of them, Mr Premkumar Arasu, 40, an IT analyst, said: “We gave it our all (and) winning is just the icing on the cake.”
