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Fulltext Consumer understanding and preferences for different nutrition information panel formats

Fatimah S, Nik Ismail ND, Tee ES

Malays J Nutr, 2010 Aug;16(2):243-50.
PMID: 22691929 MyJurnal

The study was conducted to assess the level of understanding and the ability to extract information from a nutrition information panel (NIP) among women (n = 232, 20-59 years) in the Klang Valley, an urban area in Malaysia. The study involved the currently used format in Malaysia and three other formats, namely (i) based on Guideline Daily Amount (GDA), (ii) Multiple Traffic Light (MTL) and (iii) combination of GDA/MTL. Four hypermarkets were chosen for the face-to-face interview using a questionnaire. Subjects were selected using a convenient sampling method. The mean score for level of understanding was the highest for the current format (3.46 ± 1.12) compared to the other three tested formats (GDA = 3.09 ± 1.03, MTL = 2.72 ± 0.97, GDA/MTL combination 3.09 ± 1.36). However, most of the respondents (68.1%) would prefer the current NIP format to be changed due to difficulty in understanding (43.1%) and perceived the nutrition information to be insufficient (23.3%) and over simplified (21.6%). When other NIP formats were introduced, GDA format was the most preferred (mean score 3.52 ± 0.84) compared to the other formats (MTL = 3.41 ± 0.98; GDA/ MTL combination = 3.29 ± 0.91), including the current format used in Malaysia (3.16 ± 0.85). These findings suggest that the preferred NIP format does not necessarily lead to correct interpretation of the nutrition information. The current format should be further promoted and explained to the public to improve its usage and consumer understanding.
Fulltext Improving Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Adherence Among Pregnant Women: Validation Study

Jaffar A, Mohd-Sidik S, Foo CN, Admodisastro N, Abdul Salam SN, Ismail ND

JMIR Hum Factors, 2022 Feb 03;9(1):e30989.
PMID: 35113025 DOI: 10.2196/30989

BACKGROUND: Mobile health apps, for example, the Tät, have been shown to be potentially effective in improving pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) among women, but their effectiveness in pregnant women was limited. Adherence to daily PFMT will improve pelvic floor muscle strength leading to urinary incontinence (UI) improvement during the pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to document the validation process in developing the Kegel Exercise Pregnancy Training app, which was designed to improve the PFMT adherence among pregnant women.
METHODS: We utilized an intervention mapping approach incorporated within the mobile health development and evaluation framework. The framework involved the following steps: (1) conceptualization, (2) formative research, (3) pretesting, (4) pilot testing, (5) randomized controlled trial, and (6) qualitative research. The user-centered design-11 checklist was used to evaluate the user-centeredness properties of the app.
RESULTS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to better understand PFMT and UI among 440 pregnant women. The study reported a UI prevalence of 40.9% (180/440), with less than half having good PFMT practice despite their good knowledge. Five focus group discussions were conducted to understand the app design preferred by pregnant women. They agreed a more straightforward design should be used for better app usability. From these findings, a prototype was designed and developed accordingly, and the process conformed to the user-centered design-11 (UCD-11) checklist. A PFMT app was developed based on the mHealth development and evaluation framework model, emphasizing higher user involvement in the application design and development. The application was expected to improve its usability, acceptability, and ease of use.
CONCLUSIONS: The Kegel Exercise Pregnancy Training app was validated using a thorough design and development process to ensure its effectiveness in evaluating the usability of the final prototype in our future randomized control trial study.
Transforming Pollution into Solutions: A Bibliometric Analysis and Sustainable Strategies for Reducing Indoor Microplastics while Converting to Value-Added Products

Kek HY, Tan H, Othman MHD, Lee CT, Ahmad FBJ, Ismail ND, et al.

Environ Res, 2024 Apr 16.
PMID: 38636646 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118928

Microplastics (MPs), as emerging indoor contaminants, have garnered attention due to their ubiquity and unresolved implications for human health. These tiny particles have permeated indoor air and water, leading to inevitable human exposure. Preliminary evidence suggests MP exposure could be linked to respiratory, gastrointestinal, and potentially other health issues, yet the full scope of their effects remains unclear. To map the overall landscape of this research field, a bibliometric analysis based on research articles retrieved from the Web of Science database was conducted. The study synthesizes the current state of knowledge and spotlights the innovative mitigation strategies proposed to curb indoor MP pollution. These strategies involve minimizing the MP emission from source, advancements in filtration technology, aimed at reducing the MP exposure. Furthermore, this research sheds light on cutting-edge methods for converting MP waste into value-added products. These innovative approaches not only promise to alleviate environmental burdens but also contribute to a more sustainable and circular economy by transforming waste into resources such as biofuels, construction materials, and batteries. Despite these strides, this study acknowledges the ongoing challenges, including the need for more efficient removal technologies and a deeper understanding of MPs' health impacts. Looking forward, the study underscores the necessity for further research to fill these knowledge gaps, particularly in the areas of long-term health outcomes and the development of standardized, reliable methodologies for MP detection and quantification in indoor settings. This comprehensive approach paves the way for future exploration and the development of robust solutions to the complex issue of microplastic pollution.

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