SUBJECTS/METHODS: The Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity Instrument and the Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (HEI) were used to assess household food security status and diet quality, respectively. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and 24-hour dietary recall data were collected through face-to-face interview, and anthropometric measurements including weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained from 222 women.
RESULTS: Majority of households (82.9%) experienced different levels of food insecurity: 29.3% household food insecurity, 23.4% individual food insecurity, and 30.2% fell into the child hunger group. The food-secure group had significantly fewer children and smaller household sizes than the food-insecure groups (P < 0.05). The mean household income, income per capita, and food expenditure significantly decreased as food insecurity worsened (P < 0.001). The food-secure group had significantly higher Malaysian HEI scores for grains and cereals (P < 0.01), as well as for meat, poultry, and eggs (P < 0.001), than the food-insecure groups. The child-hunger group had significantly higher fat (P < 0.05) and sodium (P < 0.001) scores than the food-secure and household food-insecure groups. Compared to the individual food-insecure and child-hunger groups, multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the food-secure group was significantly associated with a higher Malaysian HEI score while the household food-insecure group was significantly associated with a higher BMI after controlling for age (P < 0.025).
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of indigenous households faced food insecurity. Food insecurity at the individual and child levels was associated with lower quality of diet, while food insecurity at the household level was associated with higher body weight. Therefore, a substantial effort by all stakeholders is warranted to improve food insecurity among poorer households. The results suggest a pressing need for nutritional interventions to improve dietary intake among low income households.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: The height, weight, and WC of four-hundred-and-ninety adults (n = 490) in Malaysia were measured using standard procedures. The three-day 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted on 422 out of the 490 adults and their dietary intakes were evaluated in detail. The selected dietary intake variables were used to determine the associations with the obesity indicators.
RESULTS: Among the participants, 52.8% were overweight or obese. After data analysis, the mean energy intake was 1,550 kcal/day, in which male participants had a significantly higher energy and macronutrients intake than females. Protein consumption and its percentage of energy contribution exceeded the recommended range. The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and milk and milk products were lower than the recommended number of servings for a healthy diet. The male participants consumed significantly more servings of carbohydrate-based foods, meat, and fats, oils, and sweets than females. Among the selected dietary intake variables, only the carbohydrate intake was negatively associated with the BMI (Estimate b = -0.008) and WC measurements (Estimate b = -0.019) after adjusting for covariates.
CONCLUSIONS: This study evaluated the dietary intakes of a sample of Malaysian adults and its association with the obesity indicators. The results highlight the need for improvements and modifications of the dietary intake of Malaysians to reduce the overweight and obesity rates.
Methods: The study was completed in 2016 and the baseline data were gathered from four groups in a school-based randomized community trial among Year Five students from primary schools in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. Participants completed anthropometry assessment, three-day dietary record, and Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C).
Results: The prevalence of obesity was higher among the boys (52.5%). Mean energy intake was significantly higher among boys as compared to the girls (P=0.003). Twenty-five percent of the participants had exceeded the recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) of energy recommended. The calcium, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin were also significantly higher among boys as compared to the girls (P<0.05). Boys also exhibited a significantly higher score on performance of physical activity (mean=2.68; SD=0.60) as compared to the girls (mean=2.38; SD=0.51) however it is still in the category of moderately active. Approximately 14.4% of children had a very low physical activity level.
Conclusion: Overweight and obese boys had higher energy and fat intakes but were more physically active as compared to the girls. These findings might be useful in planning appropriate intervention strategies to be designed and delivered especially for this cohort.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study with 328 obese and overweight low socio- economic status housewives aged 18-59 years old who met the screening criteria participated in the study. They were recruited into an intervention group (N = 169) or control group (N = 159). The intervention group received a lifestyle intervention consisting of a diet, physical activity and self-monitoring behavior package. The control group (delayed intervention group) received a women's health seminar package. Both groups were followed up for six months. Weight, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure were evaluated both pre- and post-intervention.
Results: A total of 124 participants from the intervention group and 93 participants from the control group completed the study. Mean weight loss was 1.13 ± 2.70 kg (P < 0.05) in the intervention group and 0.97 ± 2.60 kg (P < 0.05) in the control group. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) reductions in the intervention group were 5.84 ± 18.10 mmHg (P < 0.05). The control group showed reduction in SBP 6.04 ± 14.52 mmHg (P < 0.05). Both group had non-significant DBP reduction. Multivariate analysis via General Linear Model Repeated Measures observed no significant differences in terms of parameter changes with time in both groups for all parameters.
Conclusions: The results indicate that the lifestyle interventions in this study resulted in modest weight loss and thus decreased BMI and blood pressure (SBP) within six months of intervention.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). A total of 303 students participated. Data was collected from January to April 2016. Self-designed questionnaires comprised questions pertaining to current weight, self-reported height data, information on eating habits, exercise and knowledge of the food pyramid. The collected data were used to compare and contrast eating habits and lifestyle practices among overweight/obese students with those of non-overweight/obese students.
Results: The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 28.8% (95% CI: 24.0%, 34.0%). The majority ate regular daily meals, but more than half skipped breakfast. Frequent snacking, fried food consumption at least three times per week and low intake of daily fruits and vegetables were common. The frequency of visits to fast food restaurants was significantly higher in the overweight/obese. 25.4% of the students exercised at least three times per week. Almost all students are aware of balanced nutrition and the food pyramid.
Conclusions: Most university students had poor eating habits, although the majority had good nutrition knowledge. By way of recommendation, the university is encouraged to provide a multi-disciplinary team specialising in health promotion that includes nutrition and physical activity programmes to increase the awareness among the university students.
OBJECTIVES: Two independent cross-sectional studies were designed to evaluate the association between age, sex, and plasma vitamin D concentrations with physiological and biochemical biomarkers of NO synthesis and EF in young and older healthy participants (Study 1) and in overweight and obese postmenopausal females (Study 2).
METHODS: In Study 1, 40 young (20-49 y) and older (50-75 y) males and females (10 participants per age and sex group) were included. Resting blood pressure and ear-to-finger peripheral pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured. A stable-isotopic method was used to determine whole-body NO production. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), nitrate, nitrite, and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations were determined. In Study 2, 80 older overweight and obese females (age 61.2 ± 6.2 y, body mass index 29.5 ± 4.4 kg/m2) were recruited. Postocclusion reactive hyperemia (PORH) and peripheral PWV were measured. Plasma concentrations of 25(OH)D, nitrate, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), endothelin-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and ADMA were determined.
RESULTS: In Study 1, whole-body NO production was significantly greater in young compared with older participants (0.61 ± 0.30 μmol·h-1·kg-1 compared with 0.39 ± 0.10 μmol·h-1·kg-1, P = 0.01) but there was no evidence of a sex difference (P = 0.81). Plasma 25(OH)D concentration was not associated with PWV (r = 0.18, P = 0.28) or whole-body NO production (r = -0.20, P = 0.22). Plasma ADMA concentration was associated positively with age (r = 0.35, P = 0.03) and negatively with whole-body NO production (r = -0.33, P = 0.04). In Study 2, age was associated with lower PORH (r = -0.28, P = 0.02) and greater ADMA concentrations (r = 0.22, P = 0.04). Plasma 25(OH)D concentration was inversely associated with 3-NT concentrations (r = -0.31, P = 0.004).
CONCLUSIONS: Older age was associated with lower whole-body NO production. Plasma vitamin D concentrations were not associated with NO production or markers of EF but showed a weak, significant correlation with oxidative stress in postmenopausal overweight females.