METHODS: Systematic database searches were conducted on Ovid Medline, Embase, Cochrane Centre for Controlled Trials, PubMed and Scopus to source peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023. Reference lists of the included publications were also manually searched.
RESULTS: Fourteen unique randomised controlled trials were identified, of which three were pilot studies. Most of the interventions were conducted among individuals at moderate to high risk of CVD and lasted for a year. There is a variety of components in intervention delivery, including group discussions and individual counselling. Peer leader training mostly covered intervention delivery, communication, and research-specific skills. Systolic blood pressure showed the most promising CVD-related improvement, while mixed results were found for several other dietary and lifestyle behavioural outcomes.
CONCLUSION: Peer-led lifestyle interventions have shown varying effectiveness in cardiovascular health outcomes. The competencies and roles of peer leaders were identified to guide future intervention development with a more comprehensive approach to the primary prevention of CVD.
STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cross-sectional study.
METHODS: Indigenous Malaysians (n = 629) from three major groups (Negrito, Proto-Malay, and Senoi) were recruited, after ethics approval and informed consent. Body mass index (BMI), body weight, height, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured, and participants were examined for acanthosis nigricans. Venous blood samples were used for measurements of fasting blood sugar, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Insulin resistance was estimated using a surrogate measurement TG/HDL-C. The ratios of TC to HDL-C, and of LDL-C to HDL-C were determined. MetS was accessed according to the Joint Interim Statement of the IDF Tsak Force on Epidemiology and Prevention.
RESULTS: MetS affected 29.57% of the OA population investigated and was significantly more prevalent (P
METHODS: Data came from the South-East Asia Community Observatory health surveillance cohort, 2021-2022. Children aged 7-18 years within selected households in Segamat, Malaysia wore an Axivity AX6 accelerometer on their wrist for 24 hours/day over 7 days, completed the PAQ-C questionnaire, and demographic information was obtained. Accelerometer data was processed using GGIR to determine time spent asleep, inactive, in light-intensity PA (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Differences in accelerometer-measured PA by demographic characteristics (sex, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic group) were explored using univariate linear regression. Differences between data collected during vs outside Ramadan or during vs after COVID-19 restrictions, were investigated through univariate and multiple linear regressions, adjusted for age, sex and ethnicity.
RESULTS: The 491 participants providing accelerometer data spent 8.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.9-8.4) hours/day asleep, 12.4 (95% CI = 12.2-12.7) hours/day inactive, 2.8 (95% CI = 2.7-2.9) hours/day in LPA, and 33.0 (95% CI = 31.0-35.1) minutes/day in MVPA. Greater PA and less time inactive were observed in boys vs girls, children vs adolescents, Indian and Chinese vs Malay children and higher income vs lower income households. Data collection during Ramadan or during COVID-19 restrictions were not associated with MVPA engagement after adjustment for demographic characteristics.
CONCLUSIONS: Demographic characteristics remained the strongest correlates of accelerometer-measured 24-hour movement behaviours in Malaysian children and adolescents. Future studies should seek to understand why predominantly girls, adolescents and children from Malay ethnicities have particularly low movement behaviours within Malaysia.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to co-design and assess the feasibility of a socially-driven digital health intervention to promote healthy behavior and prevent chronic diseases in a workplace in Malaysia.
METHODS: This study involves two phases: (i) identifying the barriers and facilitators to healthy behaviors at work and co-designing the intervention activities with the employees, (ii) implementing and evaluating the intervention's feasibility. Phase 1 will involve qualitative data collection and analysis through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and co-design workshops with the employees, while Phase 2 will consist of a feasibility study employing quantitative measurements of health behaviors through accelerometers and questionnaires.
RESULTS: This study was funded in June 2021 and ethics approval for Phase 1 was obtained from the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee in January 2022. As of August 2022, qualitative interviews with 12 employees have been completed and the data has been transcribed and analyzed. These results will be published in a future paper with results from all Phase 1 activities.
CONCLUSIONS: The study will help us to better understand the mechanisms through which digital technologies can promote socially-driven health knowledge and behaviors. This research will also result in a scalable wellness intervention that could be further tailored and expanded to other employers and social groups across the region.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/39238.