The main purpose of this paper is to understand the multidimensional phenomenon of the nutrition transition in Malaysia, from 1980 to 2014. Primary and secondary data sets were obtained through Food Balance Sheets, Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS) and National Health and Morbidity Surveys (NHMS) for year‐to‐year review. It was found that the energy supply for Malaysian population remained consistently in excess of average calorie needs by a minimum of 30%. There were significant signs of shifting food trends, particularly in the supply of wheat (+56.5%), rice (‐23.7%), sugar and sweeteners (+23.9%), meat (+49.3%), fish and seafood (+38.7%), and eggs (+55.7%). The plant/animal protein ratio has decreased over time. Demographics and NHMS data series suggested the coexistence of undernutrition, overnutrition and “hidden hunger”. Prevalence of NCDs and associated risk factors has increased rapidly, some as high as 170%, in the recent 20 years. This situation clearly indicates a failure to provide the right foods to those who need it when they need it. Overabundance of food is one of the contributing factors to the obesity epidemic. Apart from increasing the healthcare burden, the continued over‐consumption of animal products and refined and processed food will have a major impact on national food and nutritional security. The intensive nature of production systems to produce these commodities poses threats to sustainability, with consequences for food and nutritional security and climate inequity. The multiple concurrent transitions as described highlight the importance of establishing a dietary model that matches nutritional requirements with environment preservation. The role of a sustainable food system in eradicating malnutrition and its cost deserves more attention and recognition from policymakers.