Physical activity is an important component of cardiovascular health. The fact that physical activity is also associated with a substantial number of cognitive and academic benefits, therefore school teachers can be an important role model in promoting a physically-active lifestyle in school children. The aim of this study is to examine the levels of physical activity (PA) and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in a sample of school teachers. Forty-nine (n=49) female teachers from primary and secondary schools around Klang Valley urban areas were recruited. The PA level was determined using pedometer, worn for three consecutive days. Anthropometric measurements and blood samples were collected to determine cardiovascular risk factors. Findings showed that the school teachers recorded an overall mean (± SEM) of 7707 ± 490 steps/day, which is below the recommended target of 10 000 steps per day. According to pedometer-determined physical activity indices proposed by Tudor-Locke and Bassett (2004), 20.83% of the sample were classified as ‘sedentary’
Stress is a common problem among university students and studies showed that involvement in exercise could help in reducing stress. However, information regarding the effect of high intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) using a resistant tube on stress among inactive and moderate active young male university students is limited. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the effect of high intensity PRT using a resistant tube on psychological stress level, cortisol, DHEA and physical fitness in this population. A total of 30 male university students were participated in this quasi-experiment study. Intervention group (n = 14, age: 21.50 ± 1.37 yr) was participaned to carry out high intensity PRT by using resistant tube 3 times per week for 10 weeks; control group (n = 16, age: 21.29 ± 1.86 yr) was asked to continue their current lifestyle as usual. Before and after 10 weeks of intervention, psychological stress was measured by using PSS and SLSI questionnaires; cortisol and DHEA level were measured by using ELISA method. Timed up-and-go (TUG) used to examine dynamic balance and handgrip strength test used to measure muscle strength. Findings showed that the increased of DHEA level after 10 weeks of intervention was significantly difference between control and intervention groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant group difference in changes over time in anthropometric and body composition measurements, stress scores, cortisol level and physical fitness. High intensity PRT using resistant tube may be beneficial in increasing DHEA level among young male adults, which can act as a stress biochemical indicator.
The paediatric rehabilitation service in Malaysia is shifting from the traditional child-focused approach to a family-centred
approach. At present, there is a lack of an evaluation tool to assess to the quality of paediatric rehabilitation services, and
whether the services are in line with the principles of the family-centred service. This study was undertaken to assess validity
and reliability of the Malay version of the Measure of Processes of Care 20-item (MPOC-20) questionnaire in evaluating
family-centered approach in children rehabilitation services in Kuala Lumpur. The original English version of the MPOC-
20 was translated into Malay language, before it was administered to 102 parents of children receiving rehabilitation
service at the Occupational Therapy Unit, UKM Medical Centre. The component structure of the MPOC-20 Malay version
was examined using principal component analysis with Varimax rotation to explore the factor structures after translation.
Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to determine the internal consistency reliability of the factors identified in the MPOC-20
Malay version. The resultant four-factor model explained 64 % of the variance in the Malay MPOC-20 responses. All four
factors were similar to the five factors described in the original MPOC-20. All the 20 items were retained, with relocation of
some items into a new factor. The Malay version of the MPOC-20 showed good internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha
values ranging from 0.75 to 0.90. This study demonstrates that the Malay version of the MPOC-20 is valid and reliable,
and is suitable for evaluation of the quality of child rehabilitation services in the Malaysian context.
Haematological parameters decrease following one unit of whole blood donation which results in a detrimental effect on cardiorespiratory fitness and maximal exercise capacity. However, it remains unclear to what extent blood donation will impact exercise performance across varying levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of a standard blood donation on maximal exercise performance performed 24 h post-blood donation in individuals with varying levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Methods: Forty-two males (mean age 22 ± 2.1 years) were recruited and segregated into Low, Moderate and Superior fitness groups. Subjects performed a multi-stage shuttle run test on the day prior to a standard blood donation procedure, and subsequently 24 h post-blood donation. Blood samples were taken on both test days and analysed for haematological parameters. Results: Exercise performance, represented by predicted VO2max were 0.6%, 1.0% and 4.1% lower in the Low, Moderate and Superior fitness groups respectively. However, the magnitude of reduction was only statistically significant in the Superior fitness group (p = 0.017). Compared to baseline, all fitness groups demonstrated significant reductions in haematocrit (Low: -8.4%, Moderate: -9.1%, Superior: -7.2%) and haemoglobin (Low: -7.6%, Moderate: -7.8%, Superior: -5.5%) levels at 24 h post-blood donation. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that changes in haemoglobin concentrations were not associated with changes in exercise performance in all groups. Conclusion: Exercise performance was only significantly reduced in the Superior fitness group. Well-trained individuals should be refrained from blood donation just prior to competitions.
Postprandial hyperglycemia is independently related to cardiovascular disease. Garlic, ginger, lemon, honey and apple cider vinegar are known to have anti-glycemic properties. However, the effectiveness of combination of these natural products on reducing postprandial glycemia is uncertain. The aim of the present study was to investigate the glucose-lowering effect of a novel mixture consisting of apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, lemon, and honey; alone and in combination with exercise in response to a high-carbohydrate meal in non-diabetic individuals. Ten, female subjects (mean age: 25 ± 2.67 years, mean BMI: 22.6 ± 3.5 kg/m2) participated in this randomised, cross-over intervention consisting of four trials: control (CON), mixture only (MIX), exercise only (EX), and exercise + mixture (EX-MIX). All trials involved consumption of a high-carbohydrate breakfast, then followed by rest in CON, consumption of natural product mixture in MIX, brisk-walking exercise in EX, and combination of mixture and exercise in EX-MIX. Blood glucose was measured at fasting, and at 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes post meal. Postprandial glucose response was calculated as area under the glucose curve. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant group and time interaction (p < 0.001). Compared to CON, postprandial glucose responses were 8%, 13% and 15% lower in MIX (p = 0.049), EX (p = 0.001) and EX-MIX (p = 0.005) respectively. Postprandial glucose was 8% lower in EX-MIX compared to MIX (p = 0.002). In conclusion, consuming natural product mixture containing garlic, ginger, lemon, honey and apple cider vinegar reduced postprandial glycemia to a certain extent, however, combining mixture with exercise produced a greater attenuation effect compared to consuming mixture alone. This finding is indicative of a potential benefit of the novel mixture as a complementary management of hyperglycemia in high-risk individuals.
Exercise has been suggested as the best and the most affordable way for managing blood pressure. The insertion/ deletion of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D gene polymorphism had been reported to be linked with sev- eral diseases such as hypertension and diabetic nephropathy. Several studies showed that blood pressure response to exercise training for health management also vary among individuals with different genotypes of ACE I/D gene poly- morphism. A study of 9 months of endurance exercise training at 75 to 85 % of VO2max showed that the decrease of resting blood pressure in I allele carriers wass greater than D allele carriers. In contrast, other study discovered that adult women with D allele had greater reduction in resting blood pressure than those with I allele, following a 12-week combined aerobic and resistance exercise training. Despite the inconsistencies of some findings, it has remained unknown if the ACE I/D gene polymorphism would also influence blood pressure response to isometric handgrip training that had been found to be superior to the dynamic resistance exercise training in controlling and preventing high blood pressure. Thus, this article was to review the literature on ACE I/D gene polymorphism and blood pressure response to exercise training that could serve as the basis for future research to identify individuals who will lower resting blood pressure the most with exercise training program for health management.
Walking 10,000 steps daily is associated with beneficial health outcomes. Recent systematic reviews have suggested that pedometers may be an effective motivational tool to promote walking. The aim of this study was to study the effectiveness of a 10-week, pedometer-based walking intervention to improve physical activity, body composition and metabolic health indices in a sample of suburban community-dwelling adults not meeting current physical activity recommendations. After screening, 34 overweight/obese individuals (mean age: 46 ± 8 years, mean BMI: 28.3 ± 4.2 kg/m2) were accepted into the walking program conducted by the Health Promotion Community Centre, Bangi. Subjects were instructed to increase their steps by 3000 steps daily above their baseline values for 10 weeks. Daily step count, body weight, BMI, waist circumference, as well as blood pressure, fasting glucose and lipids were evaluated at baseline and following the 10-week intervention. Thirty-one participants completed the program with 100% adherence. The average daily steps recorded during the 10-week intervention was 9693 ± 2196 steps per day. Mean daily steps increased from 8679 ± 2567 steps in Week 1 to 10,766 ± 3200 steps in Week 10 (p = 0.040). Overall, there were reductions in body weight (-1.13%, p = 0.010), waist circumference (-3.5%, p = 0.001) and BMI (-1.41%, p = 0.008) as well as fasting blood glucose (-8.5%, p = 0.003) and systolic blood pressure (-4.8%, p = 0.007) following the intervention. The findings of this study demonstrated that a goal-driven, pedometer-based walking intervention for 10 weeks resulted in a modest reduction in body weight and improved metabolic health outcomes in overweight/obese, community-dwelling adults.
Behavioural change interventions for weight loss have been found to be effective in the short term, but their long-term effectiveness remains a question. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the 36 weeks F.E.A.T program combining behavioural changes of healthy eating and physical activity. A quasi-experimental study of overweight adults was conducted in Malacca. A total of 53 subjects (mean age 47.4 ± 7.2 years) completed the program in three stages. In the first stage (T1: weeks 1–12), the intervention group (n = 28) participated in the F.E.A.T program activities, while the control group (n = 25) did not receive the intervention. In the second stage (T2: weeks 13-24), the activity was supervised and monitored by the peer support group. Sustainability of activity was measured at the third stage (T3: weeks 25-36). The effectiveness of the program was measured by changes in dietary intake, physical activity score, body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body fat percentage at T0 (pre-intervention), T1, T2 and T3. All parameters showed significant interaction effects (time*group) except for energy intake. The intervention group showed significant decreases from T0 to T3 for energy intake (-14.3%), body weight (-4.3%), BMI (-4.2%), WC (-10.5%) and body fat percentage (-3.6%). While physical activity level increased by 109.6% for the intervention group. There were no significant differences in all of these parameters among the control group. The results show the effectiveness of the F.E.A.T program on dietary status and physical activity changes during the 36-week of intervention period.
Diabetes is often associated with dysfunction in activities of daily living (ADL), especially among older adults. Hospitalisation of older adults is often followed by decline in functional status affecting their quality of life and well-being after discharge. The objective of this study was to determine the functional independence in carrying out basic activities of daily living, its relationship with quality of life, and the factors influencing the quality of life in hospitalised older adults with diabetes. This cross sectional study was carried out on 104 diabetic patients (mean age: 67.5 ± 9.2 years) who were receiving in-patient treatment. Face-to-face interviews were carried out to determine functional independence using Modified Barthel Index (MBI) as well as quality of life using the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL-BREF). Results showed that only 37.5% (n = 39) respondents were catergorised as being fully-independent. Among the domains in MBI, using the stairs recorded the lowest score followed by mobility. The physical domain in quality of life also recorded the lowest score compared to other domains of quality of life. There were significant (p < 0.05), positive correlations between the overall MBI scores and all domains of quality of life; physical (rs = 0.70), psychology (rs = 0.50), social (rs = 0.33) and environmental (rs = 0.25). Hierachical multiple regression analysis showed MBI scores had significant influence on all domains of quality of life, with the largest influence on the physical domain i.e. 36% [F(1, 92) = 82.14, p < 0.01, R2 = .36]. As a conclusion, hospitalisation reduces the functional independence in carrying out basic activities of daily living as well as the physical aspect of quality life in older adults with diabetes. Therefore, it is important to provide rehabilitation in activities of daily living while the elderly diabetics while undergoing in-patient treatment in order to maintain quality of life after discharge.
Subclinical changes that occur in the heart at an early age may provide valuable information to outline prevention strategies for cardiovascular diseases. Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects regulation of autonomic balance, heart, and vascular tone, which are the determinants of blood pressure. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the difference in heart rate variability (HRV) of Malay male young adult with their BMI and adiposity level. MATERIALS AND METHODS:A total of 201 Malay male young adult aged between 19 to 24 years old were screened and their BMI and adiposity level were measured. Three non-invasive tests; Valsalva Manoeuvre, orthostatic response and 30/15 ratio of heart rate were performed. Short term HRV time and frequency domains were recorded. RESULTS:Despite few significant differences in HRV parameters of overweight/obese subjects, the result is inconclusive to conclude any reduced variability. However, those with high adiposity regardless of their BMI reported significantly lower mean of R-R SD in time domain and lower mean of LF/HF ratio in frequency domain. The orthostatic reflex results revealed that high adiposity subjects had significantly lower mean of LF and HF. A decrement of -0.28 ms2HF/LF during Valsalva manoeuvre, -0.35 LF ms2in orthostatic reflex and 0.33 ms2in orthostatic reflex per 1% of body fat percentage were observed. CONCLUSION: HRV parameters were inversely proportional to the adiposity level which was suggestive of modulation of sympathetic function can occur at an early age.
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is currently used in several fields, such as architecture, manufacturing, and medical applications. FDM was initially developed to produce and create prototypes, but the expense appears excessive for producing final products. Nevertheless, in this day and age, engineers have developed a low-cost 3D printer. One of the major issues with low-cost 3D printers is the low dimensional accuracy and high tolerances of the printed products. Herein, different printing parameters, i.e., layer thickness, printing speed, and raster angle, need to be investigated to enhance the surface roughness of the parts produced using FDM. Thus, the present study focuses on investigating the performance of the surface finish produced by FDM by manipulating different parameters such as layer thickness, printing speed, and raster angle. Taguchi's method, based on the L9 array for experimental design, was employed to elucidate the response variables. The sample model was developed following ISO standards, utilizing polylactic acid (PLA)-aluminum as the filament material. The analysis of variance results indicated that the layer thickness and raster angle significantly affect the surface roughness of the printed parts, with statistical P-values of 0.016 and 0.039, respectively. This enables an easy selection of the optimal printing parameters to achieve the desired surface roughness. The dimensional accuracy of the fabricated part was also evaluated. Thirteen dimensions of the part features were analyzed, and the results showed that the FDM machine exhibited good accuracy for most of the shapes, with a deviation below 5%.