SAF should not be the Achilles heel in anti-DIABETES war More research into relationship between IPPT score vs onset of diabetes mellitus needs to be done with massive SAF repository of pre-enlistment medical screening results, pre-IPPT FFI, FFI for regular servicemen, family history and smoking/ drinking habit data and not least, annual IPPT results for BOTH NSmen and ESPECIALLY regular servicemen vs their future medical outcomes: e.g. years since best IPPT result till onset of diabetes mellitus , healthcare subsidy consumption vs latest valid IPPT result. This is because SAF has a MASSIVE repository of IPPT results for the last 50yrs since 1967 (possibly unmatched by anyone of half the entire SG population): "When National Service was first introduced in Singapore in 1967, the physical fitness test included a 4.8 kilometres run to be completed within 30 minutes, and the completion of 9.6 kilometres within 70 minutes while wearing the skeletal battle order (a type of load-carrying equipment). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_physical_proficiency_test " According to https://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/clarification/14jun11_clarification.print.img.html "Before embarking on their IPPT, servicemen at age 25 and 30 will be required to pass a basic medical screening. From age 35 and above they will have to pass an annual basic health screening by the SAF medical doctors. The SAF will also commence annual advanced cardiac screenings from as early as age 40 for servicemen deemed to be at high risk for coronary diseases. " There is, btw, a pre-enlistment health screening to exclude everything from diabetes to congenital heart disease and hearing impairment in servicemen https://www.cmpb.gov.sg/cmpb/before...cess/medical-screening-and-psychometric-test/ , so there is actually voluminous and immensely valuable data relating physical fitness to morbidity and mortality data etc: revealing whether physical fitness/ lifestyle choices make any difference to future physical health and as a consequence, healthcare costs / subsidy consumption patterns amongst Singaporeans and PRs. As part of the usual meritocratic framework entrenched in the Singapore ethos, compulsory medishield-life insurance premium discounts could be given to those with good IPPT results in recognition for their personal commitment to keep their dependence on gahmen healthcare subsidies low, as well as a corresponding surcharge for smokers who would be at higher liability to consume greater healthcare resources. Secret tips to good health and fitness (diet, sleep patterns, lifestyle habits, pearls of wisdom etc) could also be sought from every serviceman at each medical review point and analysed through supercomputing methods to decipher which are the truly ideal habits/pearls based correlating with good fitness and health. 21km run timings of SAF sponsored Army Half Marathon now in its 25th anniversary could also add additional dimensions to the massive data collection. More IPPT test options like swimming and cycling need to be introduced to ensure wider participation; as well as possible roll out to the entire population to replace the current step tracker campaign wherein which the tracker is unable to differentiate if the steps had been made by the human owner or his dog. As is the current case, the IPPT pass rate of <19% is an embarrassment for any military, revealing that >81% of active NSmen are actually UNFIT/ un-deployable for service let alone war. http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/n...-reservist-military-training-war-5677920.html A greater credence of IPPT in promoting health warrants URGENT study if Singapore's military is to remain functional, and if Singapore wishes to avert bankruptcy from future diabetes and other physical inactivity related (unnecessary) healthcare costs. For a select few, test for insulin sensitivity /resistance could add accuracy to the overall results . Perhaps if Singapore could show proven success in fighting DIABETES that is plaguing all parts of the world (and bankrupting so many from high healthcare costs) then the Nobel prize should be in order for Singapore; otherwise, facing bankruptcy from high healthcare costs , DIABETES might just be the last nail on the coffin for independent Singapore.
Singaporeans are not exactly known for being healthy. It might be the heat. Most of Singapore's population is ethnically Chinese and so perhaps are not accustomed to being that close to the equator. Also, when you take populations that traditionally ate healthy diets and give them more Westernized food high in wheat and sugar, that often leads to health problems (look at how big many Samoans and Hawaiians are now). Being in a crowded high cost of living city is also probably not correlated to good health, many Singaporeans don't get much physical activity. There are similar problems in Hong Kong as well.
Guess the parliamentarians are not setting the right example on healthy lifestyle change to begin with. ========= Singapore parliamentarians need to be better paragons of fitness & health for the rest of society to follow. After all, all PAP MPs/ MP wannabes are bestowed by PA titles and gahmen funds for their campaign (brainwashing) activities in their post as "advisers to grassroots organisations" (in all INCLUDING opposition MP held constituencies), thus, for Singaporean population/ human resorces to be productive to begin with, such advisers also have to be fine examples of fitness and good health, no? "As of 2010, more than half of Singapore's adult population between 18 and 69 years old have high cholesterol, four in 10 are overweight or obese, a quarter have prediabetes or diabetes and about one in five has hypertension." (alt pict view) (alt img view)http://danielfooddiary.com/2014/06/14/yan/ KBW showing off his $8 urgent heart bypass to bypass life threatening levels of fat and cholesterol had been found built up over the years in his heart arteries. https://www.facebook.com/notes/theo...n-wan-pays-s8-for-bypass-surgery/446633433963 HSK sleeps much less than 4.5hrs/night, like his brain needs no rest: "Fellow Tampines MP Desmond Choo was also shocked at the news. "We've never heard anything like this. To me, he's like Superman," said Mr Choo. "The number of hours he works and the kind of attention span he has, it's amazing." The 2012 Hougang by-election candidate recalled the days when he worked closely with Mr Heng, whom he sees as a fatherly figure and source of inspiration. "During the by-election period, we would discuss issues until 2am and he would ask me to go home," said Mr Choo. "'As a candidate, you need rest,' he would tell me while he continued working with activists. When I returned in the morning, at about 6.30am, he'd already be there." http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/shanmugam-heng-was-carrying-incredible-load http://www.straitstimes.com/singapo...t-apologises-for-not-being-able-to-attend-ndp PM LHL, too much fried wings/chendol (fatty food) or skipped sleep before presenting NDR2016/ a mild stroke?: https://edmwimg.wordpress.com/tag/lee-hsien-loong/page/5/
