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Prevalence, comorbidities, and cofactors associated with alcohol consumption among school-going adolescents in Malaysia

Manickam MA, Abdul Mutalip MH, Abdul Hamid HA, Kamaruddin RB, Sabtu MY

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5 Suppl):91S-9S.
PMID: 25038196 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514542194

Alcohol is deleterious to physical and mental health as well as social well-being. This study aims to examine the prevalence of alcohol consumption and factors associated with its use among school-going Malaysian adolescents. The Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2012 employed 2-stage clustering design to Malaysian secondary school respondents aged 12 to 17 years. The prevalence of current alcohol usage was 8.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.8-10.07) overall, 11.2% (95% CI: 9.80-12.80) among males, and 23.4 (95% CI: 21.40-25.50) among Chinese students. Multivariate logistic regression showed that adolescents who had used alcohol were more likely to have used substance (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.39; 95% CI: 2.33-4.99), experienced injury (aOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.20-1.95), and engaged in sexual behaviors (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12-1.79), and fights (aOR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.08-1.41). The current national policies on alcohol should be strengthened to curb alcohol consumption among adolescents.
Study name: Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)
Fulltext Prevalence and socio-demographic determinant of overweight and obesity among Malaysian adult

Ahmad Ali Zainuddin, Mala A. Manickam, Azli Baharudin, Rusidah Selamat, Kee, Chee Cheong, Noor Ani Ahmad, et al.

Int J Public Health Res, 2016;6(1):661-669.
MyJurnal

Introduction Overweight and obesity is a major public health problem in Malaysia. This study aims to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the Malaysian adult population and their association with socio-demographic characteristics (gender, ethnic, and age groups).
Methods A total of 17,257 adults aged 18 years and older (8,252 men, 9,005 women)
were assessed for BMI status, with a response rate of 97.8%, through a household survey from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), conducted in all states of Malaysia in 2011.
Results All socio-demographic factors were consistently associated with higher chance of being overweight (except gender and location) and obesity (except location and household income). The identified risk of overweight were
Indian (aOR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-2.8), aged 50-59 years (aOR: 2.8, 95% CI: 2.0-3.9), widower (aOR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.0), subject with secondary education (aOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0-1.4), Homemaker/unpaid worker (aOR:
1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.4), and with high household income group (aOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.6). The identified risk of obesity were women (aOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.2-1.6), Indian (aOR: 1.7, 95% CI: 0.9-3.2), aged 30-39 years (aOR: 3.6,
95% CI: 2.4-5.5), widower (aOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.9-1.6), subjects with primary education (aOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.9-1.6), Homemaker/unpaid worker (aOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), and with middle household income group (aOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.6).
Conclusions Our data indicate a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in the
population. Several sociodemographic characteristics are associated with both overweight and obesity. This study highlights the serious problem ofoverweight and obesity among Malaysia adults. Documentation of these problems may lead to research and policy agendas that will contribute both to our understanding and to the reduction of these problems.
Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2011)
Prevalence and correlates of depression among adolescents in Malaysia

Kaur J, Cheong SM, Mahadir Naidu B, Kaur G, Manickam MA, Mat Noor M, et al.

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5 Suppl):53S-62S.
PMID: 25070697 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514544356

Depression among adolescents has been recognized as a major public health issue. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of depression among school-going adolescents in Malaysia. Data from the Malaysia Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) 2012 were analyzed with additional data from the validated DASS21 (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress) questionnaire. The study revealed that 17.7% of respondents had depressive symptoms. Multivariate analysis further showed that feeling lonely (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.99; 95% CI = 2.57-3.47), Indian ethnicity (aOR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.63-2.44), using drugs (aOR = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.21-2.82), and being bullied (aOR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.60-1.99) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Lack of parental supervision, alcohol use, and tobacco use were also significant risk factors. Addressing depressive symptoms among adolescents may have implications for managing their risks of being bullied and substance use. This study also highlights the need to further investigate depressive symptoms among adolescents of Indian ethnicity.
Study name: Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)
Self-perception of body weight status and weight control practices among adolescents in Malaysia

Zainuddin AA, Manickam MA, Baharudin A, Omar A, Cheong SM, Ambak R, et al.

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5 Suppl):18S-26S.
PMID: 25070695 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514542422

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents is rising rapidly in many countries, including Malaysia. This article aims to present the associations between body mass index-based body weight status, body weight perception, and weight control practices among adolescents in Malaysia. The Malaysia School Based Nutrition Survey 2012, which included a body weight perception questionnaire and anthropometric measurements, was conducted on a representative sample of 40 011 students from Standard 4 until Form 5, with a 90.5% response rate. Comparing actual and perceived body weight status, the findings show that 13.8% of adolescents underestimated their weight, 35.0% overestimated, and 51.2% correctly judged their own weight. Significantly more normal weight girls felt they were overweight, whereas significantly more overweight boys perceived themselves as underweight. The overall appropriateness of weight control practices to body weight was 72.6%. Adolescents attempting to lose or gain weight need to have better understanding toward desirable behavioral changes.
Factors associated with physical inactivity among school-going adolescents: data from the Malaysian School-Based Nutrition Survey 2012

Baharudin A, Zainuddin AA, Manickam MA, Ambak R, Ahmad MH, Naidu BM, et al.

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5 Suppl):27S-35S.
PMID: 25070696 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514543682

The importance of physical activity to health is well recognized. Good health habits should begin from a young age. This article aims to explore physical activity among Malaysian school adolescents and factors associated with it. Data from the Malaysian School-Based Nutrition Survey (MSNS), comprising a nationally representative sample of school-going children aged 10 to 17 years, were used. The overall prevalence of physically inactive adolescents was 57.3%. Age in years (adjusted odds ratio = 1.2; 95% confidence interval = 1.16-1.23), gender - females (adjusted odds ratio = 2.9; 95% confidence interval = 2.66-3.10), afternoon school session, breakfast consumption (no breakfast and irregular breakfast), body mass index status (obese and underweight), and body weight perception (underweight perceivers) were significant factors associated with physical inactivity among Malaysian adolescents. Thus, there is evidence that programs to promote physical activity in this group should consider the combination of the aforementioned factors at the household, school, and community levels.
Declining genetic polymorphism of the C-terminus Merozoite Surface Protein-1 amidst increased Plasmodium knowlesi transmission in Thailand

Tapaopong P, Chainarin S, Mala A, Rannarong A, Kangkasikorn N, Kusolsuk T, et al.

Malar J, 2024 Nov 13;23(1):342.
PMID: 39538241 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-05162-z

BACKGROUND: Recent reports from Thailand reveal a substantial surge in Plasmodium knowlesi cases over the past decades, with a more than eightfold increase in incidence by 2023 compared to 2018. This study investigates temporal changes in genetic polymorphism associated with the escalating transmission of P. knowlesi malaria in Thailand over time using the prominent vaccine candidate, pkmsp1 as a marker.
METHODS: Twenty-five P. knowlesi samples collected in 2018-2023 were sequenced for the 42-kDa region of pkmsp1 and compared with 24 retrieved sequences in 2000-2009, focusing on nucleotide diversity, natural selection, recombination rate, and population differentiation.
RESULTS: Seven unique haplotypes were identified in recent samples, compared to 15 in earlier samples. Nucleotide and haplotype diversity were lower in recent samples (π = 0.016, Hd = 0.817) than in earlier samples (π = 0.018, Hd = 0.942). Significantly higher synonymous substitution rates were observed in both sample sets (dS-dN = 2.77 and 2.43, p
Fulltext Declining Genetic Polymorphisms of the C-terminus Merozoite Surface Protein-1 Amidst Increased Plasmodium knowlesi Transmission in Thailand

Tapaopong P, Chainarin S, Mala A, Rannarong A, Kangkasikorn N, Kusolsuk T, et al.

bioRxiv, 2024 Jun 27.
PMID: 38979329 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.27.600943

Recent reports from Thailand reveal a substantial surge in Plasmodium knowlesi cases over the past decade, with a more than eightfold increase in incidence by 2023 compared to 2018. This study investigates temporal changes in genetic polymorphism associated with the escalating transmission of P. knowlesi malaria in Thailand over the past two decades. Twenty-five P. knowlesi samples collected in 2018-2023 were sequenced for the 42-kDa region of pkmsp1 and compared with 24 samples collected in 2000-2009, focusing on nucleotide diversity, natural selection, recombination rate, and population differentiation. Seven unique haplotypes were identified in recent samples, compared to 15 in earlier samples. Nucleotide and haplotype diversities were lower in recent samples (π = 0.016, Hd = 0.817) than in earlier samples (π = 0.018, Hd = 0.942). Significantly higher synonymous substitution rates were observed in both sample sets (dS - dN = 2.77 and 2.43, p < 0.05), indicating purifying selection and reduced genetic diversity over time. Additionally, 8 out of 17 mutation points were located on B-cell epitopes, suggesting an adaptive response by the parasites to evade immune recognition. Population differentiation analysis using the fixation index (Fst) revealed high genetic differentiation between parasite populations in central and southern Thailand or Malaysia. Conversely, the relatively lower Fst value between southern Thailand and Malaysia suggests a closer genetic relationship, possibly reflecting historical gene flow. In conclusion, our findings highlight a decline in genetic diversity and evidence of purifying selection associated with the recently increased incidence of P. knowlesi malaria in Thailand. The minor genetic differentiation between P. knowlesi populations from southern Thailand and Malaysia suggests a shared recent ancestry of these parasites and underscores the need for coordinated efforts between the two countries for the elimination of P. knowlesi.