Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 29 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Shakhshir MH, Vanoh D, Hassan M, Zyoud SH
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2023 Sep 23;42(1):101.
    PMID: 37742012 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-023-00445-8
    BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is seen as a diverse disease and a primary contributor to global mortality. Malnutrition arises within chronic illness, which involves protein energy depletion and inadequate levels of essential nutrients. These factors increase the likelihood of death and the overall impact of the disease on affected individuals. Consequently, this study aims to utilize bibliometric and visual analysis to assess the current state of research, the latest advances and emerging patterns in the fields of CKD and malnutrition.

    METHODS: Extensive research was conducted using the Scopus database, which is the most authoritative database of research publications and citations, to focus on CKD research between 2003 and 2022, as indicated by title and author keywords. Then, within this vast collection of academic publications, a notable subset of articles was exclusively dedicated to investigating the relationship between CKD and malnutrition. Finally, we performed bibliometric analysis and visualization using VOSviewer 1.6.19 and Microsoft Excel 2013.

    RESULTS: Large global research between 2003 and 2022 resulted in 50,588 documents focused on CKD, as indicated by title and author keywords. In this extensive collection of scientific publications, a staggering portion of 823 articles is devoted exclusively to investigating the link between CKD and malnutrition. Further analysis reveals that this body of work consists of 565 articles (68.65%), 221 reviews (26.85%), and 37 miscellaneous entries (4.50%), which encompass letters and editorials. The USA was found to be the most productive country (n = 173; 21.02%), followed by Italy (n = 83; 10.09%), Sweden (n = 56; 6.80%), Brazil (n = 54; 6.56%) and China (n = 51; 6.20%). The most common terms on the map include those related to the topic of (a) malnutrition in hemodialysis patients and predicting factors; terms associated with the (b) impact of malnutrition on cardiovascular risk and complications in CKD patients; and terms related to the (c) dietary protein intake and malnutrition in CKD.

    CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first of its kind to analyze CKD and malnutrition research using data from Scopus for visualization and network mapping. Recent trends indicate an increasing focus on protein-energy wasting/malnutrition in hemodialysis patients and predicting factors, dietary protein intake, and malnutrition in CKD. These topics have gained significant attention and reflect the latest scientific advances. Intervention studies are crucial to examining diet therapy's impact on patients with stages 1 to 5 CKD. We hope this study will offer researchers, dietitians and nephrologists valuable information.

  2. Tian Y
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2023 Nov 08;42(1):125.
    PMID: 37941052 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-023-00465-4
    The creation of a welcoming hospital atmosphere is necessary to improve patient wellbeing and encourage healing. The goal of this study was to examine the variables affecting hospitalised patients' comfort. The study procedure included a thorough search of the Web of Science and Scopus databases, as well as the use of software analytic tools to graphically map enormous literature data, providing a deeper understanding of the linkages within the literature and its changing patterns. Insights from a range of disciplines, including engineering, psychology, immunology, microbiology, and environmental science, were included into our study using content analysis and clustering approaches. The physical environment and the social environment are two crucial factors that are related to patient comfort. The study stress the need of giving patient comfort a top priority as they heal, especially by tackling indoor air pollution. Our research also emphasises how important hospital care and food guidelines are for improving patient comfort. Prioritising patients who need specialised care and attention, especially those who have suffered trauma, should be the focus of future study. Future research in important fields including trauma, communication, hospital architecture, and nursing will be built on the findings of this study. To enhance research in these crucial areas, worldwide collaboration between experts from other nations is also advised. Although many studies stress the significance of patient comfort, few have drawn conclusions from a variety of disciplines, including medicine, engineering, immunology, microbiology, and environmental science, the most crucial issue of thoroughly researching the improvement of patient comfort has not been addressed. Healthcare workers, engineers, and other professions will benefit greatly from this study's investigation of the connection between hospital indoor environments and patient comfort.
  3. Rahman M, Shariff AA, Shafie A, Saaid R, Tahir RM
    PMID: 26825988 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-015-0020-2
    Caesarean delivery (C-section) rates have been increasing dramatically in the past decades around the world. This increase has been attributed to multiple factors such as maternal, socio-demographic and institutional factors and is a burning issue of global aspect like in many developed and developing countries. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between mode of delivery and time to event with provider characteristics (i.e., covariates) respectively.
  4. Aghalari Z, Dahms HU, Sillanpää M
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2023 Jan 06;42(1):1.
    PMID: 36609393 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-022-00339-1
    BACKGROUND: Food hygiene is one of the specialized fields of environmental health, and despite the problems associated with foodborne illnesses, there is no evaluation available that would focus on specialized environmental health journals. The purpose of the present survey is a comparison of the status of food hygiene articles published in Iranian and international journals of environmental health.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on all published articles in five Iranian environmental health journals and three international environmental health journals that are among the top 5% and 10% based on SNIP, emphasizing the issue of food. Our data were collected by searching relevant keywords in the articles published during the years (2008-2021), with emphasis on food hygiene. In the checklist, journal and articles information was collected by year of publication, a number of articles, information on authors' participation status in terms of number, gender, organizational affiliation, country and continents, and research centers according to authors' authorship. Statistical analysis of data was performed using descriptive and inferential statistical indices. VOSviewer software was also used to visualize the data.

    RESULTS: In Iranian environmental health journals, out of 2305 articles (7.3%) and out of 6898 articles in international environmental health journals (2.4%) dealt with food hygiene. Food hygiene articles were divided into seven categories, with the largest number of articles on aquatic and agricultural products each with a frequency of 48 articles. Articles related to heavy metals in food were provided by 30.81%. In this study, out of 150 articles, 15 articles were written with the participation of 30 authors from seven continents (Asia, America, and Europe), most of which were from Asia and India. In international environmental health journals, among the main research topics in articles related to food hygiene, the highest number (52.5%) was related to a determination about pollution such as heavy metal concentrations in food.

    CONCLUSIONS: Articles published in Iranian and international environmental health journals about food hygiene were limited. According to the increasing prevalence of foodborne illnesses, especially in recent decades, and the importance of paying attention to food hygiene, more targeted studies are needed.

  5. Aghalari Z, Dahms HU, Sillanpää M
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2022 Nov 14;41(1):50.
    PMID: 36376938 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-022-00329-3
    BACKGROUND: A balanced and optimized amount of nutrients in bread, which is the main food in many countries, is necessary to maintain human health. Considering the importance of nutritional values of bread in the food basket of Iranian households, the purpose of this study was to determine the nutrients and their concentrations in breads consumed in Iran.

    METHODS: This systematic review study was performed to determine the types of nutrients in breads consumed in Iran by searching reputable international databases including Scopus and Google scholar, PubMed, Science direct, ISI (Web of Science). Data were collected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and by searching for relevant keywords, emphasizing the types of nutrients in breads consumed in Iran. Qualitative data were collected using the standard PRISMA checklist (preferential reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis). After verifying the quality of the articles, the information was entered into a checklist such as the name of the first author and year of publication of the research, type of study, number of samples, type of nutrition, type of bread and amount of nutrition measured.

    RESULTS: After reviewing the information and quality of articles, 10 articles were qualified for systematic review. The review of the articles showed that different breads were experimented, including: Sangak, Barbari, Taftoon, Lavash, French and local bread. The highest number of experimented bread samples was Sangak. Examination of the articles showed that 6 nutrients were experimented in different breads such as Fe, K, Mg, Ca, Cu and Zn. The highest number of experimented in breads was related to the amount of Zn (13 times) and Cu (10 times), respectively. The results of quality assessment of articles showed that most of the studies were of good quality. The results of articles on the amount of nutrients measured in different breads showed that only in two articles the amount of nutrients was reported to be desirable. In most articles, the amount of nutrients in breads was reported to be lower or higher than standard.

    CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the concentration of nutrients in most articles was undesirable. It is suggested that optimal methods of enrichment of breads and flours be done with interdisciplinary cooperation between food hygiene, environmental health, nutrition, farmers and bakers. It is recommended that food hygiene and environmental health researchers investigate other nutrients (including phosphorus, selenium, manganese, boron and molybdenum) in breads and other staple foods used by people to constructive and practical measures to increase public health.

  6. Pahlevan Sharif S, Naghavi N, Sharif Nia H
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2022 Feb 17;41(1):3.
    PMID: 35177122 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-022-00282-1
    There are some statistical concerns regarding a recently published article which has claimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate an instrument to assess the nutrition self-efficacy among Iranian elderly population.
  7. Palaniveloo L, Ambak R, Othman F, Mohd Zaki NA, Baharudin A, Abdul Aziz NS, et al.
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2021 05 31;40(Suppl 1):7.
    PMID: 34059161 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-021-00238-x
    BACKGROUND: High blood pressure or hypertension is well recognized as an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Several studies had indicated potassium intake has a blood pressure lowering effect. This study aimed to estimate potassium intake via 24-h urinary potassium excretion and to determine the association between potassium intake and blood pressure among adults in Malaysia.

    METHODS: Data for 424 respondents in this study were drawn from MyCoSS, a nationwide cross- sectional study conducted among Malaysians who were 18 years and above. Respondents were recruited using stratified cluster sampling, covering urban and rural areas in each state in Malaysia. Data collection was undertaken from October 2017 until March 2018. A single urine sample was collected over 24 h for quantification of potassium excreted. Information on socio-demography and medical history of the respondents were collected by interviewer-administered questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were measured using validated equipment. BMI was estimated using measured body weight and height. Digital blood pressure monitor (Omron HBP-1300) was used to measure blood pressure. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariable linear regression were used to analyze the data in SPSS Version 21.

    RESULTS: Mean 24-h urinary potassium excretion for the 424 respondents was 37 mmol (95% CI 36, 38). Gender and ethnicity showed statistically significant associations with 24-h urinary potassium excretion. However, potassium excretion was not significantly associated with blood pressure in this study.

    CONCLUSION: Potassium intake is very low among the adults in Malaysia. Therefore, further education and promotional campaigns regarding daily consumption of potassium-rich diet and its benefits to health need to be tailored for the Malaysian adult population.

  8. Ihabi AN, Rohana AJ, Wan Manan WM, Wan Suriati WN, Zalilah MS, Rusli AM
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2013 Dec;31(4):480-9.
    PMID: 24592589
    During the past two decades, the rates of food insecurity and obesity have risen. Although a relationship between these two seemingly-paradoxical states has not been repeatedly seen in men, research suggests that a correlation between them exists in women. This study examines nutritional outcomes of household food insecurity among mothers in rural Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey of low-income households was conducted, and 223 households with mothers aged 18-55 years, who were non-lactating, non-pregnant, and had at least one child aged 2-12 years, were purposively selected. A questionnaire was administered that included the Radimer/Cornell Scale, items about sociodemographic characteristics, and anthropometric measurements. Of the households, 16.1% were food-secure whereas 83.9% experienced some kind of food insecurity: 29.6% of households were food-insecure, 19.3% contained individuals who were food-insecure, and 35.0% fell into the 'child hunger' category. The result reported that household-size, total monthly income, income per capita, and food expenditure were significant risk factors of household food insecurity. Although there was a high prevalence of overweight and obese mothers (52%) and 47.1% had at-risk waist-circumference (> or = 80 cm), no significant association was found between food insecurity, body mass index, and waist-circumference. In conclusion, the rates of household food insecurity and overweight and obesity were high in the study population, although they are looking paradoxical. Longitudinal studies with larger sample-sizes are recommended to further examine the relationship between food insecurity and obesity.
  9. Rundi C
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2010 Apr;28(2):114-23.
    PMID: 20411673
    Malaysia is a country with the intermediate burden of tuberculosis (TB). TB is still a public-health problem in Sabah, one of the two states in East Malaysia. In 2007, the state of Sabah contributed slightly more than 3,000 of 16,129 new and relapse cases reported in the country. It has a notification rate of two and a half times that of the country's. Very few studies on TB have been conducted in Sabah, and there is little documentation on the perceptions of TB patients and the community about TB, healthcare-seeking behaviour, and impact of TB on the people of Sabah. A qualitative study was conducted in 2006 in seven districts in Sabah to assess the knowledge and perceptions of TB patients and the community about TB, also to know the experiences of healthcare services, and to examine the impact of TB on patients and families. Purposive sampling identified 27 TB patients and 20 relatives and community members who were interviewed using a set of questions on knowledge, perceptions about TB, healthcare-seeking behaviour, and impact of TB. A further 11 health staff attended informal discussions and feedback sessions. Most interviews were taped and later translated. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Ninety-six percent of the respondents did not know the cause of TB. Some thought that TB occurred due to a 'tear' in the body or due to hard work or inflammation while others thought that it occurred due to eating contaminated food or due to sharing utensils or breathing space with TB patients. Although the germ theory was not well-known, 98% of the respondents believed that TB was infectious. Some patients did not perceive the symptoms they had as those of TB. The prevailing practice among the respondents was to seek modem medicine for cure. Other forms of treatment, such as traditional medicine, were sought if modem medicine failed to cure the disease. TB was still a stigmatizing disease, and the expression of this was in both perceived and enacted ways. TB also affected the patients in various aspects of their lives, such as psychosocial, physical, financial and life practices. Patients who were farmers complained that they did not recover fully from their disease and were not, thus, able to continue with their previous work. Patients changed their life practices, such as not sharing their utensils, had a separate sleeping area, and practised social distancing. On the other hand, most health workers were unaware of the effects of TB on their patients and that knowledge of their patients on TB was inadequate. There is a need to understand the reasons for the misconceptions about TB and to address the lack of knowledge on TB through health education. Patients need to recognize the symptoms of TB early so that prompt treatment can be initiated, and patients need to be convinced of its curability.
  10. Ebrahimi F, Shariff ZM, Tabatabaei SZ, Fathollahi MS, Mun CY, Nazari M
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2015 Mar;33(1):168-76.
    PMID: 25995733
    Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a determinant of health and nutrition of mothers and offspring. However, many factors associated with GWG are not completely understood. The present study assessed the relationship between sociodemographics, dietary intake, and physical activity with GWG in 308 Iranian pregnant women attending government healthcare centres in Rafsanjan city, Iran. Women gained an average of 12.87±3.57 kg during pregnancy while 54% did not gain weight within the Institute of Medicine (IOM)-recommended range. Univariate logistic models showed that gestaional weight gain was related to age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), energy intake, and sitting time. Cumulative logit model showed positive relationship between age (p=0.0137) and pre-pregnancy BMI (p<0.0001) with GWG. All pregnant women should be counselled on achieving the reccomended GWG to prevent adverse maternal and prenatal outcomes. Pre-pregnancy and gestational nutritional status and physical activity should be emphasized in antenatal care.
  11. Ibrahim NH, Kassim N, Othman S, Omar A, Shaari N, Awiskarni AA, et al.
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2023 Nov 20;42(1):129.
    PMID: 37986125 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-023-00464-5
    BACKGROUND: This study aims to validate two predictive formulas of weight estimating strategies in children with special needs, namely the Cattermole formula and the Mercy formula.

    METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study with a universal sampling of children and adolescents with special needs aged 2-18 years old, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, down syndrome, autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder was conducted at Community-Based Rehabilitation in Central Zone Malaysia. Socio-demographic data were obtained from files, and medical reports and anthropometric measurements (body weight, height, humeral length, and mid-upper arm circumference) were collected using standard procedures. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 26. The accuracy of the formula was determined by intraclass correlation, prediction at 20% of actual body weight, residual error (RE) and root mean square error (RMSE).

    RESULT: A total of 502 children with a median age of 7 (6) years were enrolled in this study. The results showed that the Mercy formula demonstrated a smaller degree of bias than the Cattermole formula (PE = 1.97 ± 15.99% and 21.13 ± 27.76%, respectively). The Mercy formula showed the highest intraclass correlation coefficient (0.936 vs. 0.858) and predicted weight within 20% of the actual value in the largest proportion of participants (84% vs. 48%). The Mercy formula also demonstrated lower RE (0.3 vs. 3.6) and RMSE (3.84 vs. 6.56) compared to the Cattermole formula. Mercy offered the best option for weight estimation in children with special needs in our study population.

  12. Tiew KF, Chan YM, Lye MS, Loke SC
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2014 Dec;32(4):665-76.
    PMID: 25895200
    Studies on diet quality among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are scarce. This crosssectional study aimed to assess the diet quality and to determine its associated factors among individuals with T2DM at the Medical Outpatients Department, Serdang Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia, from July 2010 to March 2011. Subjects were interviewed for sociodemographic data. Diabetes history was retrieved from the hospital's e-database. Usual dietary intake was measured using a food frequency questionnaire, from which a dietary diversity score was obtained with two measures: Food Group Score and Serving Score were constructed based on the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines. Food Group Score was computed from the number of food groups consumed from five major food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy products) whereas Serving Score was computed from the number of servings consumed from the various food groups. Anthropometric measures, including weight, height, waist- and hip-circumference were examined. For data analyses, descriptive statistics, simple and multiple linear regression were conducted using IBM SPSS Statis- tics 20.0. A total of 113 subjects (50.4% female), with mean?SD age of 54.05 +/- 10.30 years and duration of diabetes of 11.25?9.05 years were studied. The mean Food Group Score and Serving Score were 4.12 +/- 0.79 and 12.75+3.50 respectively. Slightly more than one-third of the subjects achieved five food groups a day while less than 2% consumed a desirable number of servings from all food groups. Among the five food groups, dairy, and fruits were the least-frequently consumed foods. Lower education, lower personal income, working, non-insulin, overweight and obese subjects had significantly lower Food Group Score than their counterparts [F (6,106)=4.924, p<0.0001] whereas lower education, lower waist-to-hip ratio, overweight and obese subjects had significantly lower Serving Score than their counterparts [F (4,108)=7.520, p<0.0001]. There was a high proportion of individuals with T2DM, who failed to adhere to the national dietary guidelines. The importance of taking a well-balanced diet in accordance with the guidelines should be emphasized, especially among those with lower educational level through a simple and easy-to-understand approach.
  13. Mohamadpour M, Sharif ZM, Keysami MA
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2012 Sep;30(3):291-302.
    PMID: 23082631 DOI: 10.3329/jhpn.v30i3.12292
    Food insecurity is a worldwide problem and has been shown to contribute to poor health and nutritional outcomes. In Malaysia, poor dietary intake, overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolaemia have been reported to be more prevalent in females compared to males and in Indians compared to other ethnic groups. A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the relationship between food insecurity and health and nutritional status among 169 Indian women (19-49 years old, non-pregnant, and non-lactating) from randomly-selected palm-plantation households in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Subjects were interviewed for socioeconomic and demographic data, and information on household food security and dietary intake. They were examined for weight, height, waist-circumference, blood pressure and lipids, and plasma glucose levels. For analysis of data, descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and logistic regression were used. Majority (85.2%) of the households showed food insecurity as assessed using the Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity Instrument. The food-secure women had significantly higher mean years of education and lower mean number of children than food-insecure groups (p<0.05). There was a significant decrease in the mean household income and income per capita as food insecurity worsened (p<0.05). Women who reported food security had significantly higher mean diet diversity score (11.60±4.13) than child hunger (9.23±3.36). The group of subjects with higher intake of meat/fish/poultry/legumes (crude odds ratio [OR]=0.53, confidence interval [CI]=0.29-0.95) and higher diet diversity score (crude OR=0.87, CI=0.78-0.97) was more likely to have < 3 health risks. Diet diversity score remained a significant protective factor against heath risks even after adjusting for other variables. The present study showed that food insecurity is indirectly associated with poor health and nutritional status. Therefore, appropriate community-based interventions should be designed and implemented to address the problems of food insecurity and possible health and nutritional outcomes.
  14. Gurpreet K, Tee GH, Amal NM, Paramesarvathy R, Karuthan C
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2011 Apr;29(2):103-12.
    PMID: 21608419
    Acute diarrhoea is a major health problem in many parts of the world, contributing to about 1.8 million deaths globally. The objectives of the study were to assess the incidence, determinants, and severity of acute diarrhoea in the population. A nation-wide cross-sectional survey involving about 57,000 respondents was conducted via face-to-face interview among eligible respondents of all ages. An acute diarrhoeal episode was defined as having three or more episodes of loose stools in any 24-hour period within the past four weeks before the interview. The severity was measured by duration of acute diarrhoea and associated symptoms. The variables tested as determinants were age, sex, ethnicity, the highest educational level, total monthly household income, and locality. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate procedures meant for complex study design were used in the analyses. The four-week incidence of acute diarrhoea was 5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.8-5.2]. The incidence of acute diarrhoea among the estimated population was the highest among young adults aged 20-29 years, Other Bumiputras (the pre-dominant ethnic group in East Malaysia), those with tertiary-level of education, those earning a monthly household income of less than RM 400, and rural dwellers. Only age, ethnicity, the highest level of education attained, and locality were significantly associated with acute diarrhoea in bivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, these four variables were found to be the determinants of acute diarrhoea. Sex and monthly household income were excluded from the model. The mean duration of acute diarrhoea was 2.0 days (standard deviation 1.3). Forty-six percent of the respondents reported stomach cramps as an associated symptom. The findings revealed that acute diarrhoea is still a major public-health concern in Malaysia and grossly under-notified. There is a need for intensification of public-health intervention efforts to reduce the incidence of acute diarrhoea while improving surveillance and notification of the disease.
  15. Baharudin A, Ambak R, Othman F, Michael V, Cheong SM, Mohd Zaki NA, et al.
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2021 05 31;40(Suppl 1):6.
    PMID: 34059158 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-021-00235-0
    BACKGROUND: High blood pressure or hypertension has become one of the main health problems, worldwide. A number of studies have proven that an increased intake of salt was related to an increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. Of late, its relationship with high salt intake has received a lot of attention. Studies in Malaysia have shown both rising hypertension over time as well as high salt consumption. Actions to reduce salt intake are essential to reduce hypertension and its disease burden. As such, we carried out a study to determine associations between knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards salt intake and hypertension among the Malaysian population.

    METHODS: Data obtained from the Malaysian Community Salt Survey (MyCoSS) was used partially for this study. The survey used a cross-sectional two-stage sampling design to select a nationally representative sample of Malaysian adults aged 18 years and above living in non-institutional living quarters (LQ). Face-to-face interviews were done by trained research assistants (RA) to obtain information on sociodemography, medical report, as well as knowledge, attitude and behaviour of the respondents towards salt intake and blood pressure.

    RESULTS: Majority of the respondents have been diagnosed with hypertension (61.4%) as well as knowledge of the effects of high salt intake on blood pressure (58.8%). More than half of the respondents (53.3%) said they controlled their salt intake on a regular basis. Those who knew that a high salt diet could contribute to a serious health problem (OR=0.23) as well as those who controlled their salt intake (OR=0.44) were significantly less likely to have hypertension.

    CONCLUSION: Awareness of the effects of sodium on human health, as well as the behaviour of controlling salt intake, is essential towards lowering the prevalence of hypertension among Malaysians.

  16. Chua EY, Zalilah MS, Haemamalar K, Norhasmah S, Geeta A
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2017 05 25;36(1):24.
    PMID: 28545536 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-017-0102-4
    BACKGROUND: The disease burden of indigenous peoples has been augmented by the rising prevalence of obesity and hypertension in this population. This study assessed the ability of obesity indices to predict hypertension among indigenous adults of Peninsular Malaysia.

    METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 482 adults (223 men, 259 women) aged ≥18 years old were measured for body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-height ratio (WHtR), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and blood pressure. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the predictive ability of obesity indices for hypertension in men and women. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses were done to examine the association between obesity, defined by BMI, WC, WHtR and WHR, and hypertension.

    RESULTS: Prevalence of hypertension was 25.5%. Overall, WHtR was the best predictor of the presence of hypertension, in both men and women. The optimal WHtR cut-off values for hypertension were 0.45 and 0.52 in men and women, respectively. Obese adults with WHtR ≥0.5 had about two times increased odds of having hypertension compared to non-obese adults.

    CONCLUSIONS: WHtR may serve as a simple and inexpensive screening tool to identify individuals with hypertension in this relatively difficult to reach population.

  17. Cheong SM, Ambak R, Othman F, He FJ, Salleh R, Mohd Sallehudin S, et al.
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2021 05 31;40(Suppl 1):5.
    PMID: 34059162 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-021-00231-4
    BACKGROUND: Excessive intake of sodium is a major public health concern. Information on knowledge, perception, and practice (KPP) related to sodium intake in Malaysia is important for the development of an effective salt reduction strategy. This study aimed to investigate the KPP related to sodium intake among Malaysian adults and to determine associations between KPP and dietary sodium intake.

    METHODS: Data were obtained from Malaysian Community Salt Survey (MyCoSS) which is a nationally representative survey with proportionate stratified cluster sampling design. A pre-tested face-to-face questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic background, and questions from the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization were adapted to assess the KPP related to sodium intake. Dietary sodium intake was determined using single 24-h urinary sodium excretion. Respondents were categorized into two categories: normal dietary sodium intake (< 2000 mg) and excessive dietary sodium intake (≥ 2000 mg). Out of 1440 respondents that were selected to participate, 1047 respondents completed the questionnaire and 798 of them provided valid urine samples. Factors associated with excessive dietary sodium intake were analyzed using complex sample logistic regression analysis.

    RESULTS: Majority of the respondents knew that excessive sodium intake could cause health problems (86.2%) and more than half of them (61.8%) perceived that they consume just the right amount of sodium. Overall, complex sample logistic regression analysis revealed that excessive dietary sodium intake was not significantly associated with KPP related to sodium intake among respondents (P > 0.05).

    CONCLUSION: The absence of significant associations between KPP and excessive dietary sodium intake suggests that salt reduction strategies should focus on sodium reduction education includes measuring actual dietary sodium intake and educating the public about the source of sodium. In addition, the relationship between the authority and food industry in food reformulation needs to be strengthened for effective dietary sodium reduction in Malaysia.

  18. Zaki NAM, Ambak R, Othman F, Wong NI, Man CS, Morad MFA, et al.
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2021 05 31;40(Suppl 1):8.
    PMID: 34059165 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-021-00237-y
    BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease and leading cause of mortality globally. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among Malaysian population using data from the Malaysian Community Salt Study (MyCoSS).

    METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional study using multi-stage stratified sampling method. Data collection was carried out via face-to-face interview at the respondent's home from October 2017 until March 2018. A total of 1047 respondents aged 18 years and above completed the questionnaires and blood pressure measurement. A person who reported diagnosis of hypertension by a physician and had systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg on three readings was categorised as hypertensive. Risk factors of hypertension were analysed using multiple logistic regression.

    RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension in the present study was 49.39% (95% CI 44.27-54.51). There was no statistically significant difference in gender. Age, household income, BMI, and diabetes were significantly associated with hypertension. Hypertension found had inverse association with the level of education. Age was the strongest predictor of hypertension (35-44 years old; OR=2.39, 95% CI=1.39-4.09, 45-54 years old; OR=5.50, 95% CI=3.23-9.38, 55-64 years old OR=13.56, 95% CI=7.77-23.64 and 65 years old and above; OR=25.28, 95% CI=13.33-48.66). Those who had higher BMI more likely to be hypertensive as compared to respondents with normal weight (overweight, OR=1.84; 95% CI=1.18-2.86; obese, OR=4.29% CI=2.56-7.29).

    CONCLUSION: The findings showed that hypertension is prevalent among adults in Malaysia. Those with older age, higher BMI, and diabetes are more likely to have hypertension. Efforts regarding lifestyle modification and education could be important in hypertension management and prevention.

  19. Man CS, Hock LK, Ying CY, Cheong KC, Kuay LK, Huey TC, et al.
    J Health Popul Nutr, 2021 07 16;40(1):31.
    PMID: 34271986 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-021-00254-x
    BACKGROUND: Fast-food consumption is an unhealthy dietary behaviour because it increases the risk of diet-related chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate factors associated with fast-food consumption, namely sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index-for-age, meal away from home habit, and intake of various food groups among adolescents in Malaysia.

    METHODS: We analysed data from the National School-Based Nutrition Survey (NSNS). The NSNS was a nationwide, cross-sectional survey. Multiple-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was applied to obtain a representative sample of adolescents' population. This study recruited adolescents aged 10-18 years who were attending schools. Pre-tested self-administered questionnaires in Malay language were used to obtain relevant information. Frequency of fast-food consumption per week was classified into three groups: "consumed fast-food four to seven days", "consumed fast-food one to three days", and "did not consume fast-food". Intake of food groups was assessed by self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Descriptive and complex sample multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed in data analysis.

    RESULTS: A total of 26,383 from 40,012 selected adolescents completed all the relevant questions for this study. Of those surveyed, 13.5% of the respondents consumed fast-food 4 to 7 days, 69.3% of the respondents consumed fast food 1 to 3 days, and 17.2% of them did not consume fast-food in a typical week. Frequency of fast-food consumptions (4 to 7 days and 1 to 3 days per week) was significantly associated with age; sex; ethnicity; locality of schools; frequency of eating out; and not consuming recommended intake of cereals or grains, vegetables, and meat or poultry or eggs.

    CONCLUSION: In conclusion, age; sex; ethnicity; locality of schools; frequency of eating out per week; imbalanced intake of cereals or grains, meat, or poultry or eggs; and inadequate vegetable intake were significantly associated with fast-food consumption among adolescents in Malaysia. The findings of this study will be useful for policy makers in promoting healthy food choices among adolescents in Malaysia.

Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links