Utilising Tirzepatide in routine clinical practice in Malaysia: Consensus statements and recommendations from the Tirzepatide Expert Panel

The burden of T2DM and obesity continues to escalate in Malaysia, as highlighted by findings from the National Health and Morbidity Surveys (NHMS) 2023. Approximately 3.6 million Malaysian adults (15.6%) are currently living with T2DM, yet two in five remain unaware of their diabetic status. Among those who are aware, more than half (56%) do not have good glycaemic control. Notably, the mean BMI among individuals with T2DM has increased from 28 kg/m² in the 2008 DiabCare study to 30 kg/m2 in the 2024 TARGET-T2D study, reflecting a growing trend of obesity in this population. In parallel, national obesity rates have surged from 4.4% in 1996 to 21.8% in 2023, with more than half of Malaysian adults now classified as overweight or obese.