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Fulltext Risk factors for low birth weight among rural and urban Malaysian women

Kaur S, Ng CM, Badon SE, Jalil RA, Maykanathan D, Yim HS, et al.

BMC Public Health, 2019 Jun 13;19(Suppl 4):539.
PMID: 31196034 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6864-4

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight prevalence in Malaysia remains high. Socioeconomic background may lead to differences in physical activity and maternal nutritional status, which may play an important role in birth outcomes.
METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study aimed to identify rural-urban differences in risk factors for low birth weight among women in Malaysia. Pregnant women at ≥20 weeks of gestation in urban and rural Malaysia (n = 437) completed questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics and physical activity. Weight and middle-upper arm circumference were measured. Infant birth outcomes were extracted from medical records.
RESULTS: The overall prevalence of low birth weight infants was 6.38%. Rural women had more low birth weight infants than urban women (9.8% vs 2.0%, p = 0.03). Findings showed rural women were less sedentary (p = 0.003) and participated in more household/caregiving activities (p = 0.036), sports activities (p = 0.01) and less occupational activity (p

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/etiology; Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Fulltext Nutritional disorders encountered in children in the Department of Paediatrics, Singapore

Paul FM

Singapore Med J, 1974 Dec;15(4):231-40.
PMID: 4458066

Ninety-six cases of severe malnutrition and associated nutritional disorders were encountered in children in the department of paediatrics for the year 1971. The predominant age group was in children under the age of two years. Malay and Indian children were affected more than the Chinese children with malnutrition. Protein caloric malnutrition had already affected the growth pattern of these children as the majority were below the 50th percentile in height and weight comparing them with Hong Kong childrens’ height and weight standards. Seventy-ﬁve per cent of the children presented with infection. Fifty-four per cent of the families with malnutrition had three to six children and in two thirds of the families the income was from $100/- to $249/- per month. Forty per cent of the children lived in the kampong type of houses with no proper sanitation. Worm infestation was common in this group. The mean haemoglobin, serum iron levels, and serum folic acid levels were lower in the Indians and Malays. Protein caloric malnutrition must be treated early because of its irreversible effects on brain and bone growth. It is recommended that some form of allowance either in the form of food or money be given to these children from poor social-economic background.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/complications; Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
The risk of under-nutrition in hospitalised Malaysian children: Use of 3-minute nutrition screening-paediatrics (Paediatric 3-MinNS)

Yeo PS, Majid HA

J Pak Med Assoc, 2024 Jun;74(6):1074-1078.
PMID: 38948974 DOI: 10.47391/JPMA.9616

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the under-nutrition risk of children admitted to hospitals using a validated tool.
METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2017 to June 2018 in the paediatrics wards of a tertiary referral paediatric government hospital, a tertiary teaching hospital and a government district hospital in Malaysia. The sample comprised paediatric patients aged 2-12 years within 24-72 hours of hospital admission. Data was collected using the 3-Minute Nutrition Screening-Paediatrics tool. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.
RESULTS: Of the 341 patients screened, 284(83.3%) were included; 170(59.9%) boys and 114(40.1%) girls. The overall median age was 4.85 years (interquartile range: 4.33 years). The median length of hospital stay was 3 days (interquartile range: 3 days). There were 72(25.4%) participants at high under-nutrition risk, with the highest proportion being at the district government hospital 31(33%). Among those with high risk, 5.4% subjects had severe acute malnutrition, 9.7% had severe chronic malnutrition, and 11.1% had severe thinness.
CONCLUSION: The 3-Minute Nutrition Screening-Paediatrics scale was found to be effective as a nutrition screening tool for hospitalised children in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Nutrition Disorders/diagnosis; Child Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology
Socio-economic determinants of nutritional status of children in rural peninsular Malaysia

Marjan ZM, Taib MN, Lin KG, Siong TE

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 1998 Dec;7(3/4):307-10.
PMID: 24393689

The data presented is part of the findings from a four-year collaborative research project between Universiti Putra Malaysia, the Institute for Medical Research and the Ministry of Health Malaysia. The project assessed the nutritional status of the major functional groups in Peninsular Malaysia. Mukim Sayong and Pulau Kemiri in the District of Kuala Kangsar, Perak were two of the subdistricts selected to represent small rubber holdings in Peninsular Malaysia. This paper attempts to analyse the socio-economic profile of the households and the nutritional status of children below 9 years of age. A total of 307 households were studied. Approximately 63% of the households were involved in rubber activities and the majority of them were hired tappers. The average monthly income of the households was RM467 and the income ranged between RM30 to RM2120. Based on the per capita poverty line income of RM84.38, it was found that 14.1% of the households earned less than RM42.19, which can be considered as hard-core poor, while 32.7% were poor (monthly per capita income between RM42.19 and RM84.38). Slightly more than half (52.7%) earned income above the poverty line. The average family size was 4.5, ranging from 1 through to 16. The majority of the heads of households (56.6%) had between 3 and 6 years of education, and 14.5% did not receive any formal education. The prevalence of stunting among children 0-5 years of age was 26%, while 31.5% were underweight and 3.8% wasted. Among children aged between 5 and 9 years, almost the same pattern of nutritional status was noted. The overall percentages of stunting, underweight and wasting among these children were 29.2%, 26.1% and 0.62%, respectively. Analysis on nutritional status according to income level showed a noticeable difference in the prevalence of malnutrition in children above and below the poverty line income. The Student's t-test indicated significant differences in weight-for-age and weight-for-height between the two poverty line income for children below 5 years of age. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed a significant correlation between height-for-age with household size (r = -0.26, p<0.05), and monthly per capita income with weight-for-height (r = 0.25, p<0.05). There was a highly significant correlation between acreage of land cultivated and weight-for-height (r = 0.42, p<0.01), and weight-for-age (r = 0.25, p<0.05). The findings indicated the influence of socio-economic factors on the nutritional status of children.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Nutrition Disorders
Fulltext Community-based supplementary feeding programme for malnourished indigenous children: sharing an experience in Kemar, Hulu Perak settlement

Noor Asmah A. S. A., Farhana A. K., Norazlina M. N., Mohd Shazuan Irwan M. S.

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(104):3-3.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Childhood malnutrition is common and severe among indigenous community. The Community Feed-ing Program was first launched in 2010 among 15 villages in Kemar indigenous settlement among children below six years old. The objective of this study was to improve the nutrition status of indigenous children in Kemar settlement, Hulu Perak. Methods: All the indigenous children aged below six received high calorie food, full cream milk and multivitamin with an average of 500kcal/day. Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), specified for malnourished children, provides nutrition that accounts for one-half to two-thirds of a child’s daily needs. The feeding sessions was carried out once a day, five days a week and managed by a group of trained local volunteers and research assistants. Weight and height were measured monthly. Results: The coverage throughout 2013 to 2018, ranged from 90.3% to 100%. The percentage of children with normal body weight had increased from only 38.7 % in 2010 to 60.6% in 2018. From year 2013 to 2018, the percentage of stunted children had reduced from 77% to 72.5%, and severe stunting reduced from 35.2% in 2015 to 24.9% in 2018. Conclusion: The continuity of this program is essential to sustain normal nutritional status and hence the wellbeing of this group of children in the interior remote community.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Nutrition Disorders
Fulltext Prevalence and risk factors associated with malnutrition among children with learning disabilities: a scoping review

Nur Hamiza Ruzaini Hashim, Sakinah Harith, Raishan Shafini Bakar, Nur-Fazimah Sahran

Malays J Nutr, 2017;23(1):65-80.
MyJurnal

Introduction: By the end of 2015, about 72,152 children with learning disabilities were registered under the Malaysian Welfare Service Department (JKM). Malnutrition has been found to be a common setback among children with learning disability (LD). This study presents available evidence on the prevalence and risk factors associated with malnutrition in children with LD.

Methods: A framework suggested by Arksey & O`Male (2005) was used to carry out this scoping review. Published articles, reviews and reports were identified through a complete search. Inclusion criteria for the search were English articles related to LD, published from 2005 to 2016.

Results: Seventeen international studies published from 2005 until 2015 with a total of 318,596 participants and one study involving 281 participants from Malaysia, were identified and included in this review (n=18). The target age range of the sample in these 18 studies was 2 - 20 years, with a mean age of 3.2 - 14.2 years. The prevalence of underweight among children with LD was 3.4 - 36%, overweight 7.6 - 37% and obesity 5.7 - 52%. Several studies reveal that malnutrition risk among children with LD is significantly associated with gender, age, genetic syndrome, type of disability, medication used, and country economic status.

Conclusion: A number of studies show that children with LD have a higher prevalence of being overweight and obese than typically developing children and the risk associated with obesity significantly increases with age.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Nutrition Disorders
Nutritional and socio-economic determinants of cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren in rural Malaysia

Al-Mekhlafi HM, Mahdy MA, Sallam AA, Ariffin WA, Al-Mekhlafi AM, Amran AA, et al.

Br J Nutr, 2011 Oct;106(7):1100-6.
PMID: 21492493 DOI: 10.1017/S0007114511001449

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren aged 7-12 years living in remote areas in Pos Betau, Pahang, Malaysia to investigate the potential determinants influencing the cognitive function and educational achievement of these children. Cognitive function was measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), while examination scores of selected school subjects were used in assessing educational achievement. Blood samples were collected to assess serum Fe status. All children were screened for soil-transmitted helminthes. Demographic and socio-economic data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires. Almost two-thirds (67·6 %) of the subjects had poor IQ and most of them (72·6 %) had insufficient educational achievement. Output of the stepwise multiple regression model showed that poor IQ was significantly associated with low household income which contributed the most to the regression variance (r2 0·059; P = 0·020). Low maternal education was also identified as a significant predictor of low IQ scores (r2 0·042; P = 0·043). With educational achievement, Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA) was the only variable to show significant association (r2 0·025; P = 0·015). In conclusion, the cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren are poor and influenced by household income, maternal education and IDA. Thus, effective and integrated measures to improve the nutritional and socio-economic status of rural children would have a pronounced positive effect on their education.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/psychology
Fulltext A structural equation model of the determinants of malnutrition among children in rural Kelantan, Malaysia

Cheah WL, Wan Muda WAM, Zamh ZH

Rural Remote Health, 2010;10(1):1248.
PMID: 20184392

Many studies had shown that poor growth in children is associated with malnutrition. The underlying factors are diverse, multisectoral and interrelated, ranging from biological to social, cultural and economically related. Because the highest levels of under-nutrition worldwide are found in South Asia, it is essential that policymakers in the region understand the underlying determinants, in order to design effective public health intervention programs. This is especially so if public resources are limited. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine causal relationships among the biological, behavioural and environmental factors related to malnutrition in children aged 5 years and under.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Current prevalence and predictors of protein-energy malnutrition among schoolchildren in rural Peninsular Malaysia

Al-Mekhlafi MS, Surin J, Atiya AS, Ariffin WA, Mahdy AK, Abdullah HC

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2008 Sep;39(5):922-31.
PMID: 19058591

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the current prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) among Orang Asli schoolchildren and to investigate the potential predictors of malnutrition. A total of 241 (120 males and 121 females) Orang Asli schoolchildren age 7-12 years living in remote areas of Pos Betau, Pahang participated voluntarily in this study. Anthropometric and socioeconomic data were collected and the children were screened for intestinal parasitic infections. The overall prevalences of mild and significant underweight conditions were 52.3% and 37.3%, respectively, and the prevalences of mild stunting and wasting were 43.6% and 43.1%, respectively, while the prevalences of significant stunting and wasting were 43.6% and 5.6%, respectively. There was a significant association between gender (male) and malnutrition (p = 0.029). The results also showed a higher prevalence of stunting among children age < or = 10 years than in older children (p = 0.001). Other independent variables, including socioeconomic status and intestinal parasitic infections, had no significant associations with malnutrition indices. PEM is prevalent among schoolchildren in rural Malaysia and therefore of public health concern since PEM diminishes immune function and impairs cognitive function and educational performance. School-based programs of prevention through health education and interventions should be considered as an essential part of measures to improve the quality of life of schoolchildren in rural Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Fulltext The nutritional status of 1081 elderly people residing in publicly funded shelter homes in Peninsular Malaysia

Visvanathan R, Zaiton A, Mohd Sidik S, Muhamad YA

Eur J Clin Nutr, 2005 Mar;59(3):318-24.
PMID: 15523487

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the: (1) prevalence of undernutrition as determined by the 'DETERMINE Your Nutritional Health Checklist' (NHC) and (2) factors independently associated with undernutrition among the older residents of these publicly funded shelter homes in Peninsular Malaysia.
DESIGN: A total of 1081 elderly people (59%M) over the age of 60 y were surveyed using questionnaires determining baseline demographics, nutritional and cognitive status, physical function and psychological well-being.
SETTING: Shelter homes, Peninsular Malaysia.
RESULTS: In all, 41.4% (n = 447) were nourished (score <3), 32.1% (n = 347) at moderate risk (score between 3 and 5) and 26.6% (n = 287) were at high risk of undernutrition (score>5) according to the NHC. A large proportion of subjects were underweight with 14.3% of subjects recording a low body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2 and a further 18.2% recording a BMI between 18.5 and 20 kg/m2. The residential geriatric depression score (GDS-12R) (relative risk (RR) = 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.05); P = 0.002) and the number of illnesses (RR = 1.14 (95% CI 1.07-1.21); P < 0.001) were found to be independently associated with nutritional risk (NHC score > or = 3). Using a BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 as an objective marker for nutritional risk, the NHC was shown to have a sensitivity of 66.4% (95% CI 58.0-74.2%), specificity of 42.7% (95% CI 39.3-46.1%), positive predictive value of 16.2% (95% CI 13.3-19.5%) and a negative predictive value of 88.4% (95% CI 84.9-91.4%).
CONCLUSIONS: Many elderly people residing in publicly funded shelter homes in Malaysia may be at-risk of undernutrition, and were underweight. The NHC is better used as an awareness tool rather than as a screening tool.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Fulltext Anemia among children aged 2-5 years in the Gaza Strip- Palestinian: a cross sectional study

El Kishawi RR, Soo KL, Abed YA, Wan Muda WA

BMC Public Health, 2015;15:319.
PMID: 25879619 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1652-2

Anemia is a major public health problem worldwide, with adverse consequences on child growth, development, and survival. This deficiency has affected approximately a quarter of the world population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and the associated factors among preschool children in the Gaza Strip.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology
Social and health factors influencing poor nutritional status among rural elderly Malays

Suzana S, Earland J, Suriah AR, Warnes AM

J Nutr Health Aging, 2002;6(6):363-9.
PMID: 12459886

Older people especially those residing in rural areas are at a greater risk of malnutrition.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Socioeconomic profile and nutritional status of children in rubber smallholdings

Marjan ZM, Kandiah M, Lin KG, Siong TE

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2002;11(2):133-41.
PMID: 12074180

This paper will present the socioeconomic profile and nutritional status of children aged 1-6 years in the rubber smallholdings of Peninsula Malaysia. A total of 323 households were involved in this study. The sociodemographic data were obtained through interviews with heads of households using a set of questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken from 506 children aged 1-6 years from these households. The weight and height of the children were compared with the reference values of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the nutritional status was classified based on the recommendations of WHO. The average age of the fathers was 39.9+/-8.6 years and 34.4+/-7.0 years for the mothers. The mean household size was 6.67+/-2.27. The majority (49.7%) of the heads of households received 4-6 years of formal education and 7.9% received no formal education. Based on the monthly per capita income, 24.0% were found to be in the hardcore poor category, 38.3% fall into the poor category and 37.7% in the above poverty income group. The prevalence of stunting and underweight among children between the ages of 1-6 years were highest among children from the hardcore poor, followed by the poor category and above the poverty line income group. Wasting was present in all income groups, with a prevalence of 4.2% found among the hardcore poor, 9.4% among the poor group and 8.4% in the above poverty income group. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation showed significant relationships between household total income and height-for-age (r = 0.131, P = 0.05) and weight-for-age (r = 0.127, P = 0.05). There were also significant correlations between monthly per capita income with height-for-age (r = 0.16, P < 0.01) and weight-for-age (r = 0.13, P < 0.05). The acreage of land utilised was correlated with height-for-age (r = 0.11, P < 0.05), weight-for-age (r = 0.17, P < 0.05) and weight-for-height (r = 0.16, P < 0.05). However, stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the predictor of height-for-age was monthly per capita income (R2 = 0.03, P < 0.01) and acreage of land utilised was a predictor for weight-for-age (R2 = 0.03, P < 0.01) and weight-for-height (R2 = 0.01, P < 0.01). Because income and acreage of land utilised have been shown to be associated with nutritional status, it is recommended that intervention programs that focus on generation of income and diversification of land utilisation should be undertaken. A multidiscipline approach involving the family, community and government agencies should be applied to any type of intervention program.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Fulltext Food security and child nutritional status among Orang Asli (Temuan) households in Hulu Langat, Selangor

Zalilah MS, Tham BL

Med J Malaysia, 2002 Mar;57(1):36-50.
PMID: 14569716 MyJurnal

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of household food insecurity and its potential risk factors and outcomes among the Orang Asli (Temuan) households. Socioeconomic, demographic and food security information of the households and anthropometric measurements and dietary intakes of preschoolers (n = 64) were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Food security was assessed using the Radimer/Cornell hunger and food insecurity instrument. Diet quality was based on 24 hour recall and analyzed according to the Malaysian RDA and Food Guide Pyramid. Majority of the households (82%) reported some kind of household food insecurity. The prevalence of significant underweight, stunting and wasting were 45.3%, 51.6% and 7.8%, respectively. Dietary intakes were less than 2/3 RDA levels for calories, calcium and iron. However, the intakes of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C and niacin exceeded the RDA and the sources for these nutrients were mainly rice, fish and green leafy vegetables. Among the five food groups, only the number of servings from cereals/cereal products/tubers group was achieved while that of the milk/diary products was the worst. Majority of the children (68.7%) had poor, 31.3% had fair and none with excellent diet quality. In general, diet quality and nutritional status of the children decreased as household food insecurity worsened. It is recommended that the nutritional problems of Orang Asli children be addressed through health, nutrition and economic programs and further studies should be carried out on determinants and consequences of household food insecurity.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
[Sanitary and environmental engineering: the importance of planning in regard to health needs]

Horwitz A

Bol Oficina Sanit Panam, 1986 Sep;101(3):193-207.
PMID: 2944521
Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/complications
Nutritional status in a rural estate community

Kandiah N, Boo LJ

Med J Malaysia, 1977 Jun;31(4):270-6.
PMID: 412038
Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Anaemia in pregnancy in an aboriginal population

Ong HC

J Trop Med Hyg, 1974 Jan;77(1):22-6.
PMID: 4811560
Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/complications
Effects of iodine deficiency on insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 levels and height attainment in malnourished children

Wan Nazaimoon WM, Osman A, Wu LL, Khalid BA

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf), 1996 Jul;45(1):79-83.
PMID: 8796142

The expression and synthesis of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 have been shown to be regulated by hormones and nutrition. We study the effects of malnutrition and iodine deficiency on these growth factors and the height attainment of a group of children.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/blood*
The magnitude and trends of under- and over-nutrition in Asian countries

Ke-You G, Da-Wei F

Biomed Environ Sci, 2001 Jun;14(1-2):53-60.
PMID: 11594480

In order to understand the magnitude and trends of both under- and over-nutrition problems in Asian countries, we reviewed data available in a number of selected countries. In general, the prevalence of under-nutrition is declining in this region but is still heavy in many countries. The trends varied with complexity of individual countries. In China, the prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting was 21.6%, 30.5% and 2.6% in children of 0-4 years old (90,662 subjects, 1987) . Another large-scale survey in 1992 (176,976 subjects) presented a prevalence of 17.1% , 33.5% and 4.5%, respectively. Recent studies showed a remarkable improvement in both underweight and stunting. The National Student Survey in 1995, however, showed that the prevalence of under-nutrition was 26.9% for schoolboys and 38.3% for schoolgirls (7-18 yr). There was an increase of 4.7% and 3 .5%, respectively, compared with the results of a similar survey conducted in 1985. The proportion of malnutrition in Chinese adults (BMI < 18.5) was 11.6% in 1982 and 9.0% in 1992 for urban areas, and 12.9% and 8.0% for rural areas, indicating a descending trend over the 10 years. The prevalence of underweight was the highest, over 50% among children below 6 years old, in both Bangladesh and India, between 50% and 20% in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and below 20% in Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Fiji. It showed a declining trend from the 1970s to the 1990s with an average annual reduction of 0.8 to 1.9 percentage points in these countries. The problem of over-nutrition is emerging quickly in this region, not only in some better-off countries but also in countries in economy transition. In China, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in young adults (BMI > 25) was increased from 9.7% to 14.9% for urban areas and from 6.15% to 8.4% for rural areas in a 10-year period (1982 - 1992), and the prevalence of overweight jumped from 3.38% and 2.75% in 1985 to 7.18% and 8.65% in 1995 for schoolboys and schoolgirls. In India, the increase of overweight and obesity in female adults was 5.0 percentage points from 1989 to 1994. The prevalence of overweight was 24.5% for male and 21.4% for female in Japan (1995), and 28.7% and 26.0% in Malaysia (1990). These results indicate that over-nutrition is a growing problem in this region. Many Asian countries are facing double challenges. They have to deal with both under-nutrition and over-nutrition problems. Among many possible interventions, the further strengthening mass education on healthy diet practice should be emphasized.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology*
Providing maternal and child care in rural Malaysia

Chen PC

Trop Geogr Med, 1977 Dec;29(4):441-8.
PMID: 610030

Since Independence, gained in 1957, major changes have occurred in the rural areas of Malaysia not least amongst which has been the provision of maternal and child care services to hitherto neglected areas. In the first part of this paper, the demographic and disease patterns are described. The second part outlines the general development efforts and describes in greater detail the rural health services that have been organized in Malaysia. In the concluding section, changes in mortality and morbidity are examined.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology

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