MyMedR

Displaying publications 321 - 340 of 437 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Online health information seeking among people with diabetes mellitus and its association with self-management

Leelavathi M, Teh Rohaila J, Thenmolle A, Mohamad Salehuddin MS, Barathan M, Natasha PJ, et al.

Medicine & Health, 2018;13(2):72-82.
MyJurnal

Diabetes requires dedicated self-management to be able to achieve good control and outcome as this is a lifelong condition. The internet offers an amazing wealth of health information which may influence diabetes self-management. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of online health information seeking among people with diabetes and its associated factors. About 380 participants answered the online health information seeking questionnaire developed from literature search and expert panel review. Diabetes Self-Management was assessed using the Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ). The prevalence of online health information seeking among people with diabetes was 38.4%. Common information sought included diabetes treatment (82.9%) lifestyle modification (77.4%) and diabetes prevention (67.3%). A large majority (93.1%) felt that the online information on diabetes was useful. Doctors and printed reading materials were the most common sources of information for diabetes (94.2% & 65.3%). Lower median age (59 years, IQR = 11), having a family member with diabetes, (COR = 1.188) tertiary education (COR = 6.037) and those who are employed (COR = 3.880) have higher odds of seeking online diabetes related health information. However, there was no significant association between online health information seeking and diabetes self-management. Prevalence of online health information seeking among people with diabetes was at an acceptable level. However, it was not associated with optimal diabetic self-management. Doctors and printed information remain as popular sources of information and hence should be maintained.
Study site: Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Utilization and Impact of Electronic and Print Media on the Patients' Health Status: Physicians' Perspectives

Shakeel S, Nesar S, Rahim N, Iffat W, Ahmed HF, Rizvi M, et al.

J Pharm Bioallied Sci, 2017 Oct-Dec;9(4):266-271.
PMID: 29456378 DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_327_16

Aims: Despite an increased popularity of print and electronic media applications, there is a paucity of data reflecting doctors' opinions regarding efficient utilization of these resources for the betterment of public health. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the perception of physicians toward the effect of electronic and print media on the health status of patients.
Setting and Design: The current research is a cross-sectional study conducted from January 2015 to July 2015. The study population comprised physicians rendering their services in different hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan, selected by the nonprobability convenience sampling technique. In this study, 500 questionnaires were distributed through email or direct correspondence.
Methods and Materials: Physicians' perception toward the impact of electronic and print media on the health status of patients was assessed with a 20-item questionnaire. Different demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, institution, position, and experience of respondents, were recorded. Quantitative data were analyzed with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL). The association of the demographic characteristics of the responses of physicians was determined by one-way ANOVA using 0.05 level of significance.
Results: In this study, 254 physicians provided consent to show their responses for research purposes. A response rate of 50.8% was obtained. Nearly one-third of the respondents negated that patients get health benefit using electronic and print media. The majority did not consider electronic and print media as lifestyle-modifying factors. Physicians thought that patients particularly do not rely on mass media for acquiring health information and consider healthcare professionals as unswerving information resource.
Conclusions: Mass media can be productive resources to augment awareness among patients, although physicians seem unconvinced about the extended usage of print/electronic media.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Post-treatment impact and needs of prostate cancer survivors in Malaysia; a qualitative study

Lee PY, Ng CJ, Ong TA, Lee YK, Khatijah Lim A, Cheong AT, et al.

Malays Fam Physician, 2017;12(3):18-24.
PMID: 29527275 MyJurnal

Introduction: There are limited studies conducted on the needs of cancer survivors in developing countries like Malaysia. This qualitative study aimed at exploring the post-treatment impact and needs of prostate cancer survivors.

Methods: A qualitative study design was used. One in-depth interview and four focus group discussions were conducted with 24 prostate cancer survivors (age range: 58-79 years) from government and private hospitals in Malaysia in 2013. Trained researchers used a topic guide to guide the interviews, which were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, checked and managed with Nvivo 10 software. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data.

Results: Three main themes emerged from the analysis: (a) impact of prostate cancer on the survivors, (b) support needed for coping and (c) information needs. Prostate cancer has an important impact on the survivors' lifestyle after treatment. Some of them have to live with the post-treatment side effects. They were anxious about the possibility of relapse. In addition to family and peer support, there were participants who felt that spiritual support was important in helping them cope with the possibility of relapse. The survivors felt that they did not receive enough information about post-treatment care, dietary measures and supplements for relapse prevention, treatment and prognosis.

Conclusion: Prostate cancer has a significant impact on the survivor's lifestyle, emotional and physical health. They need information and emotional support from the healthcare professionals, family and peers. Therefore, it is important for healthcare providers to explore the needs of prostate cancer survivors and provide the necessary support.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext The health farm concept in the primary prevention of coronary artery disease

Ahmad AM

Singapore Med J, 1995 Dec;36(6):600-5.
PMID: 8781629

The purpose of the study is as a preliminary outline of the effectiveness of initiating high-risk individuals into the Health Farm concept in the primary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD). Thirty-five (35) Army personnel, all male, with risk-factors for CAD were brought together on a Health Farm concept to go through a predesigned ten-day Farm programme comprising CAD risk-assessment, comprehensive medical examination, relevant blood chemistry analysis, physical fitness evaluation, individualised weekly exercise routine, physical fitness workouts, individualised diet, lectures, group discussion and individual counselling. Description of the participants (as measurements of various relevant parameters) are made at the start and as participant-achievement. The results show general participant-compliance to the programme which was reflected by significant changes in weight (p < 0.005), percentile VO2Max (p < 0.005), percentile push-ups (p < 0.005) and girth-difference (p < 0.005). The study showed that the Health Farm concept is effective in initiating high-risk individuals into lifestyles conducive to the primary prevention of CAD. Sustained results towards primary prevention of CAD can be expected with compliance to a long-term follow-up that has been identified and to which participants have been made aware of. Other previous intervention studies are briefly discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its associated risk factors among staffs in a Malaysian public university

Manaf MRA, Nawi AM, Tauhid NM, Othman H, Rahman MRA, Yusoff HM, et al.

Sci Rep, 2021 Apr 14;11(1):8132.
PMID: 33854087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87248-1

Public health systems are concerned with the commensurate rise of metabolic syndrome (MetS) incidence across populations worldwide, due to its tendency to amplify greater risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases within communities. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MetS and its associated risk factors among staffs in a Malaysian public university. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 538 staffs from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) between April and June 2019. MetS was defined according to JIS "Harmonized" criteria. A questionnaire that consisted of items on socio-demographics, lifestyle risk behaviors and personal medical history information was administered to participants. Subsequently, a series of physical examination and biochemical assessment was conducted at the hall or foyer of selected faculties in the university. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using SPSS version 22.0. Multivariate models were yielded to determine the risk factors associated with MetS. Statistical significance was set at P

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Nutritional and lifestyle intervention strategies for metabolic syndrome in Southeast Asia: A scoping review of recent evidence

Thor SM, Yau JW, Ramadas A

PLoS One, 2021;16(9):e0257433.
PMID: 34520483 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257433

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is frequently associated with various health issues and is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly with its recent relevance to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To combat its increasing prevalence in Southeast Asia, numerous intervention programs have been implemented. We conducted a scoping review on recent interventions to manage MetS among Southeast Asians using standard methodologies. Cochrane, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus databases were systematically searched to yield peer-reviewed articles published between 2010-2020. We included 13 articles describing 11 unique interventions in four Southeast Asian countries: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. These interventions were broadly categorized into four groups: (i) nutrition (n = 4); (ii) physical activity (n = 2); (iii) nutrition and physical activity (n = 2); and (iv) multi-intervention (n = 3). Most studies investigated the effects of an intervention on components of MetS, which are anthropometry, blood pressure, glucose-related parameters, and lipid profile. Significant improvements ranged from 50% of studies reporting serum triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels to 100% for waist circumference. Evidence on interventions for individuals with MetS remains limited in Southeast Asia. More studies from other countries in this region are needed, especially on the effects of dietary interventions, to effectively address gaps in knowledge and provide sufficient data to design the ideal intervention for Southeast Asian populations.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Dietary Intake among Adolescents in a Middle-Income Country: An Outcome from the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team Study (the MyHeARTs Study)

Abdul Majid H, Ramli L, Ying SP, Su TT, Jalaludin MY, Abdul Mohsein NA

PLoS One, 2016;11(5):e0155447.
PMID: 27187889 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155447

Optimal nutrition is essential for healthy growth during adolescence. This study aims to investigate the baseline nutritional intake of Malaysian adolescents by gender, body mass index, and places of residence, both urban and rural. A cohort study was conducted consisting of 794 adolescents (aged 13-years) attending 15 public secondary schools from the Central (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor) and Northern (Perak) Regions of Peninsular Malaysia. Qualified dietitians conducted a 7-day historical assessment of habitual food intakes. Facilitated by flipcharts and household measurement tools, detailed information on portion sizes and meal contents were recorded. Nutritionist Pro™ Diet Analysis software was also used to analyze the dietary records.The mean age of the adolescents was 12.86 ± 0.33 y; the mean energy intake was 1659.0 ± 329.6 kcal/d. Males had significantly (P < .001) higher energy intake than females (1774.0 ± 369.8 vs 1595.2 ± 320.6 kcal/d); adolescents in rural schools consumed more energy and cholesterol (P < .001) compared to adolescents in urban schools (1706.1 ± 377.7 kcal/d and 244.1 ± 100.2 mg/d, respectively). Obese adolescents in rural schools consumed more energy and sugar (1987.6 ± 374.0 kcal/d and 48.9 ± 23.0 g/d) (p-value <0.001).The dietary intake of normal weight versus obese adolescents differs by the location of their school. Thus, the implementation of a structured and tailored intervention is recommended to help minimize this nutritional inequality.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and quality of life: Is there any effect? A cross-sectional study of the MENA region

Al Dhaheri AS, Bataineh MF, Mohamad MN, Ajab A, Al Marzouqi A, Jarrar AH, et al.

PLoS One, 2021;16(3):e0249107.
PMID: 33765015 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249107

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health crisis that has changed the life of millions globally. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the pandemic on mental health and quality of life among the general population in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A total of 6142 adults from eighteen countries within the MENA region completed an online questionnaire between May and June 2020. Psychological impact was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the social and family support impact was assessed with questions from the Perceived Support Scale (PSS). The IES-R mean score was 29.3 (SD = 14.8), corresponding to mild stressful impact with 30.9% reporting severe psychological impact. Most participants (45%-62%) felt horrified, apprehensive, or helpless due to COVID-19. Furthermore, over 40% reported increased stress from work and financial matters. Higher IES-R scores were found among females, participants aged 26-35 years, those with lower educational level, and participants residing in the North Africa region (p<0.005). About 42% reported receiving increased support from family members, 40.5% were paying more attention to their mental health, and over 40% reported spending more time resting since the pandemic started. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mild psychological impact while it also encouraged some positive impact on family support and mental health awareness among adults in the MENA region. Clinical interventions targeted towards vulnerable groups such as females and younger adults are needed.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext The Mother-Infant Study Cohort (MISC): Methodology, challenges, and baseline characteristics

Radwan H, Hashim M, Shaker Obaid R, Hasan H, Naja F, Al Ghazal H, et al.

PLoS One, 2018;13(5):e0198278.
PMID: 29851999 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198278

BACKGROUND: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) exhibits alarming high prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors. Emerging evidence highlighted the role of maternal and early child nutrition in preventing later-onset NCDs. The objectives of this article are to describe the design and methodology of the first Mother and Infant Study Cohort (MISC) in UAE; present the baseline demographic characteristics of the study participants; and discuss the challenges of the cohort and their respective responding strategies.
METHODS: The MISC is an ongoing two-year prospective cohort study which recruited Arab pregnant women in their third trimester from prenatal clinics in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Participants will be interviewed six times (once during pregnancy, at delivery, and at 2, 6, 12 and 24months postpartum). Perinatal information is obtained from hospital records. Collected data include socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, dietary intake and anthropometry; infant feeding practices, cognitive development; along with maternal and infant blood profile and breast milk profile.
RESULTS: The preliminary results reported that 256 completed baseline assessment (mean age: 30.5±6.0 years; 76.6% multiparous; about 60% were either overweight or obese before pregnancy). The prevalence of gestational diabetes was 19.2%. Upon delivery, 208 women-infant pairs were retained (mean gestational age: 38.5±1.5 weeks; 33.3% caesarean section delivery; 5.3% low birthweight; 5.7% macrosomic deliveries). Besides participant retention, the main encountered challenges pertained to cultural complexity, underestimation the necessary start-up time, staff, and costs, and biochemical data collection.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite numerous methodological, logistical and sociocultural challenges, satisfactory follow-up rates are recorded. Strategies addressing challenges are documented, providing information for planning and implementing future birth cohort studies locally and internationally.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Outcomes of Bone Anchored Hearing Aid Implant at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC)

Rahim SA, Goh BS, Zainor S, Rahman RA, Abdullah A

Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2018 Mar;70(1):28-32.
PMID: 29456939 DOI: 10.1007/s12070-017-1193-3

The cross sectional study was conducted in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC), Malaysia from August 2012 to December 2013. All patients implanted with in UKMMC from December 2001 until December 2012 was included. Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) questionnaires and UKMMC questionnaires were used as part of the assessment tool. The GBI is a scoring which measures the change in health status produced by surgical interventions. UKMMC questionnaires was invented by our department to assess questions related to social and life style of patients and also the cosmetic perspective Baha implant and other daily related activities. The audiological assessment was assessed using hearing aid gain threshold. Complication with regards to skin reaction was graded using Holger Skin Classification. A total of 40 patients underwent Baha implant were recruited but only 35 patients fulfilled the criteria and included in this study for analysis. Age of patients ranged from 5 year old to 38 year old, with median of 13 years old. There were 22 patients (62.8%) were male and 13 patients (37.1%) were females. Almost all cases were canal atresia except one adult patient was a case of bilateral chronic discharging ear with chronic irritation with ear mould. Majority of patients 21 (60%) have hearing level of moderate to severe hearing loss (40-89 dB) and 14 patients (40%) have mild to moderate hearing loss (20-39 dB). The level of hearing was retested post operatively. All of the patients have improvement in their aided hearing with the range of 10-25 dBL which is statistically significant at p value of <0.05. The GBI was scored positively in all subscales. Majority of patients (91.4%) used BAHA more than 4 h per day and 88.6% agreed that BAHA is cosmetically acceptable. All patients experienced some form of skin irritation (Holger grade 1-2) however only 20% required surgical intervention. All our patients have range of 10-25 dB improvement of their aided hearing which is statistically significant at p value of <0.05. BAHA has been proven to show significant benefit in audiological improvement and quality of life.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Alcohol consumption and the risk of renal cancers in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC)

Wozniak MB, Brennan P, Brenner DR, Overvad K, Olsen A, Tjønneland A, et al.

Int J Cancer, 2015 Oct 15;137(8):1953-66.
PMID: 25866035 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29559

Epidemiologic studies have reported that moderate alcohol consumption is inversely associated with the risk of renal cancer. However, there is no information available on the associations in renal cancer subsites. From 1992 through to 2010, 477,325 men and women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort were followed for incident renal cancers (n = 931). Baseline and lifetime alcohol consumption was assessed by country-specific, validated dietary questionnaires. Information on past alcohol consumption was collected by lifestyle questionnaires. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated from Cox proportional hazard models. In multivariate analysis, total alcohol consumption at baseline was inversely associated with renal cancer; the HR and 95% CI for the increasing categories of total alcohol consumption at recruitment versus the light drinkers category were 0.78 (0.62-0.99), 0.82 (0.64-1.04), 0.70 (0.55-0.90), 0.91 (0.63-1.30), respectively, (ptrend = 0.001). A similar relationship was observed for average lifetime alcohol consumption and for all renal cancer subsites combined or for renal parenchyma subsite. The trend was not observed in hypertensive individuals and not significant in smokers. In conclusion, moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a decreased risk of renal cancer.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Flavonoid and lignan intake and pancreatic cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition cohort

Molina-Montes E, Sánchez MJ, Zamora-Ros R, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Wark PA, Obon-Santacana M, et al.

Int J Cancer, 2016 Oct 01;139(7):1480-92.
PMID: 27184434 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30190

Despite the potential cancer preventive effects of flavonoids and lignans, their ability to reduce pancreatic cancer risk has not been demonstrated in epidemiological studies. Our aim was to examine the association between dietary intakes of flavonoids and lignans and pancreatic cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. A total of 865 exocrine pancreatic cancer cases occurred after 11.3 years of follow-up of 477,309 cohort members. Dietary flavonoid and lignan intake was estimated through validated dietary questionnaires and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Phenol Explorer databases. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using age, sex and center-stratified Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for energy intake, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol and diabetes status. Our results showed that neither overall dietary intake of flavonoids nor of lignans were associated with pancreatic cancer risk (multivariable-adjusted HR for a doubling of intake = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.95-1.11 and 1.02; 95% CI: 0.89-1.17, respectively). Statistically significant associations were also not observed by flavonoid subclasses. An inverse association between intake of flavanones and pancreatic cancer risk was apparent, without reaching statistical significance, in microscopically confirmed cases (HR for a doubling of intake = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.91-1.00). In conclusion, we did not observe an association between intake of flavonoids, flavonoid subclasses or lignans and pancreatic cancer risk in the EPIC cohort.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Cardiorespiratory fitness is positively associated with a healthy dietary pattern in New Zealand adolescents

Howe AS, Skidmore PM, Parnell WR, Wong JE, Lubransky AC, Black KE

Public Health Nutr, 2016 May;19(7):1279-87.
PMID: 26347042 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980015002566

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and dietary patterns in adolescents.
DESIGN: Food choice was assessed using the validated New Zealand Adolescent FFQ. Principal components analysis was used to determine dietary patterns. Trained research assistants measured participants' height and body mass. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed in a subset of participants using the multistage 20 m shuttle run. The level and stage were recorded, and the corresponding VO2max was calculated. Differences in mean VO2max according to sex and BMI were assessed using t tests, while associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and dietary patterns were examined using linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, school attended, socio-economic deprivation and BMI.
SETTING: Secondary schools in Otago, New Zealand.
SUBJECTS: Students (n 279) aged 14-18 years who completed an online lifestyle survey during a class period.
RESULTS: Principal components analysis produced three dietary patterns: 'Treat Foods', 'Fruits and Vegetables' and 'Basic Foods'. The 279 participants who provided questionnaire data and completed cardiorespiratory fitness testing had a mean age of 15·7 (sd 0·9) years. Mean VO2max was 45·8 (sd 6·9) ml/kg per min. The 'Fruits and Vegetables' pattern was positively associated with VO2max in the total sample (β=0·04; 95%CI 0·02, 0·07), girls (β=0·06; 95% CI 0·03, 0·10) and boys (β=0·03; 95% CI 0·01, 0·05).
CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that increase in cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a healthier dietary pattern, suggesting both should be targeted as part of a global lifestyle approach. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this association in relation to health outcomes in New Zealand adolescents.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Social problems and health in urbanization

Talib R, Agus MR

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 1992;23 Suppl 3:84-93.
PMID: 1342763

One of the main characteristics of urbanization in Asia is the very rapid increase in population movement from rural to urban centers. This phenomenon has led to changing population structure, its composition and lifestyles in the cities and its fringes. As a consequent of population pressure on urban system and infrastructure, compounded by the nature of the composition of the in-migrant population, the urban concentrates are faced with several social and socio-economic problems. Although there has been a lot of interests among researchers to study the causes and effects or urbanization, there is a vacuum in the area of health implications. Planners and administrators usually give priority to the physical aspects of the urban and urbanities. Social problems and health implications thereof receives very little attention either at the level of administration or research. This paper therefore is a brave attempt to focus and draw some attention to this neglected area by looking at selected social problems and the health consequences.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext A digital health-supported and community pharmacy-based lifestyle intervention program for adults with pre-diabetes: a study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

Teoh KW, Ng CM, Chong CW, Cheong WL, Ng YL, Bell JS, et al.

BMJ Open, 2024 Oct 23;14(10):e083921.
PMID: 39448216 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-083921

INTRODUCTION: Pre-diabetes indicates an elevated risk of developing type-2 diabetes and presents a window for preventive actions. The Pre-diabetes Intervention, Management and Evaluation (PRIME) programme is a community pharmacy-based pre-diabetes management programme that uses a mobile application for self-monitoring and pre-diabetes education, aiming to promote lifestyle changes among participants with pre-diabetes.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial that aims to evaluate the impact of the PRIME programme on participants' clinical outcomes and explore participants' and pharmacists' views towards its implementation. This protocol describes the development of the PRIME programme and mobile app, its feasibility and implementation in community pharmacy settings. 16 pharmacies from two states in Malaysia will be randomised to the intervention arm or standard care. The study will include overweight or obese adults with pre-diabetes. During each follow-up visit at the pharmacy, intervention participants will receive in-depth counselling from pharmacists after reviewing their self-monitoring data recorded in the PRIME app. They will also receive pre-diabetes education through the app and join a peer support chatgroup. The primary clinical outcome includes changes in body weight at 6 months, while the secondary clinical outcomes include changes in blood glucose profile, lipid profile, blood pressure and adiposity measures. The sustainability of the PRIME programme will be accessed using a follow-up questionnaire, while participants' engagement with the intervention will be evaluated using attendance rate and the app data. Focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews will be conducted for process evaluation. This study will inform the impact of community pharmacists-led digital health intervention in pre-diabetes management.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04832984) and approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (Project ID: 27512).
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04832984).

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Factors associated with anemia among female adult vegetarians in Malaysia

Chai ZF, Gan WY, Chin YS, Ching YK, Appukutty M

Nutr Res Pract, 2019 Feb;13(1):23-31.
PMID: 30788053 DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2019.13.1.23

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A large number of studies on anemia have focused mostly on pregnant women or children. The vegetarian population, which is another potential risk group for anemia, remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examined the associations of the sociodemographic, lifestyle, nutritional, and psychological factors with the anemia status among female adult vegetarians.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 177 female vegetarians were recruited from a Buddhist and Hindu organization in Selangor, Malaysia. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, which analyzed their sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity level, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and stress. The body weight, height, waist circumference, and body fat percentage of the participants were also measured. A 3-day dietary recall was conducted to assess their dietary intake. Blood samples (3 ml) were withdrawn by a nurse from each participant to determine the hemoglobin (Hb) level.
RESULTS: The findings revealed 28.2% of the participants to be anemic. The age group (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.19-5.05), marital status (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.27-5.71), and percentage of energy from protein (AOR = 5.52, 95% CI = 1.41-21.65) were the significant predictors of anemia.
CONCLUSIONS: Anemia is a public health problem among female vegetarians in this study. Health promotion programs that target female adult vegetarians should be conducted to manage and prevent anemia, particularly among those who are married, aged 50 and below, and with an inadequate protein intake.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext Body composition in the pathogenesis and management of diabetes: a Malaysian perspective

Osman A, Khalid BA

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 1994 Mar;3(1):33-9.
PMID: 24351204

There is an increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus around the world associated with rapid sociocultural development and changing lifestyles. Increased prevalence of obesity, with a higher consumption of animal products and lower consumption of fruits and vegetables, increases the risk of diabetes mellitus and other chronic degenerative diseases. Insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD) is caused by insulin deficiency, whereas the main feature of non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDD) which accounts for more than 90% of diabetics, is hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, which may eventually lead to actual insulin deficiency. Hyperinsulinemia is undesirable because it increases the risk of developing vascular disease. In Malaysia, the prevalence of NIDD in some communities now exceeds 5%, and of impaired glucose tolerance 10%. Along with these increases in prevalence of hyperglycemia are increases in prevalence of overweight (BMI>25) and almost certainly abdominal fatness. In terms of management, nutrition is given priority. Insulin and hypoglycemic drugs (sulphonylureas or biguanides), where required, may adversely affect body composition if overused. Newer therapeutic strategies require greater attention to the underlying problem in NIDD of abdominal fatness by attention to the relevant nutritional factors, physical activity and other lifestyle factors like cigarette smoking and alcohol. The greater impact of obesity and diabetes on Malaysian women as opposed to men also needs to be addressed.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Anthropometric indices and life style practices of the indigenous Orang Asli adults in Lembah Belum, Grik of Peninsular Malaysia

Yusof HM, Ching TS, Ibrahim R, Lola S

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2007;16(1):49-55.
PMID: 17215180

A nutritional status survey of Orang Asli (Aboriginal) adults in Lembah Belum, Grik, has been conducted involving a total of 138 subjects. Jahai (58.7%) was the main ethnic group as compared to that of Temiar (41.3%). Based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) characteristics, the majority (63.2%) of the respondents were normal, 26.7% underweight and 10.1% were either overweight or obese. However, by using two different indices of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, 1.6% and 10.8% of the total respondents revealed abdominal obesity, respectively. Measurement of mid upper arm muscle circumference (MUAMC) indicated that about 40% showed nutritional insufficiency whereas 0.8% showed over-nutrition. Body fat classification revealed that 53.4% of the respondents were thin, 45.8% at normal level and only 0.8% were obese. Student's t-test revealed a significant difference in anthropometric indices of body weight, height, MUAMC, triceps, sub-scapular, supra-iliac and body fat according to gender. Meanwhile, analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences in body weight, waist circumference, WHR and body fat according to different age categories. It was also found that those who smoked had lower BMI compared with non-smokers. Alcohol consumption was associated with higher BMI and WHR among the respondents. Pearson's correlation test between anthropometric measurements and socio-economic and demographic factors showed that ethnic group was the strongest variable.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Fulltext A Consensus of Key Opinion Leaders on the Management of Pre-diabetes in the Asia-Pacific Region

Mirasol R, Thai AC, Salahuddin AA, Tan K, Deerochanawong C, Mohamed M, et al.

J ASEAN Fed Endocr Soc, 2017;32(1):6-12.
PMID: 33442078 DOI: 10.15605/jafes.032.01.02

The Asia-Pacific region carries a high disease burden, with over half of the global diabetic population residing in this region. Increasing evidence shows that without targeted intervention, the progression from impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to type 2 diabetes occurs more frequently in Asians compared with Caucasians. Furthermore, IGT is independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and should be managed as early as possible. Because diabetes is now a major public health issue, strategies aimed at prevention and treatment are urgently required. Lifestyle modification, including weight loss, dietary changes and increased physical activity, play a major role in controlling the disease. Significant evidence also supports the effectiveness of a combination of lifestyle modification and pharmacologic therapy, such as metformin, in delaying the onset of diabetes. Although the importance of lifestyle interventions is well recognized throughout Asia, many countries do not have formal recommendations to guide the diagnosis and management of individuals at risk of progression to diabetes. At a recent regional meeting, experts from the Asian region convened to develop consensus recommendations to guide clinicians in the management of Asian patients with pre-diabetes. These consensus recommendations provide a clear and concise approach to the management of individuals with IGT based on the available evidence and current best clinical practice.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style
Psychosocial factors and the health of the elderly Malaysian

Chen PC

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1987 Jan;16(1):110-4.
PMID: 3592576

Consequent to rapidly declining mortality and birth rates, developing countries, including Malaysia, can expect a rapid increase in the population aged 60 years and above. The health of the elderly is intimately tied up with both biophysical as well as psychosocial factors which include status loss, loneliness, fear of illness and death, poverty, harmful life-styles and deterioration of the quality of life. The effects of these psychosocial factors can manifest as sleep difficulties, worry and anxiety, depression, loss of interest, and a feeling of tiredness. In extreme cases, there may be auditory or visual hallucinations or paranoia. In the present paper, which is based upon a WHO sponsored study of 1001 elderly Malaysians, it is noted that 36% of the elderly have sleep difficulties, 47% "feel tired", 31% have a "loss of interest" and 22% are "worried tense". However 71% of the elderly are able to correctly perform at least 12 of 15 cognitive tests. 20% of elderly men smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day while 44% smoke at least one cigarette a day. 40% of elderly men indicate that their families complain about the amount of alcohol they drink. Undoubtedly primary health care programmes need to be re-oriented to the problems and needs of the elderly in countries such as Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Life Style

Filters

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

External Links