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  1. Fulltext Nutritional Status and Food Habits of Middle-aged Adults in Selected Areas of Selangor
    Karim NA, Mydenkather H
    Malays J Nutr, 2003 Sep;9(2):125-36.
    PMID: 22691733 MyJurnal
    A food habits and health status study was carried out among 100 Malay adults aged 40 years and above. The study protocol incorporated anthropometric measurements, evaluation of food habits and determination of blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure. Mean body mass index (BMI) for men and women were 27.2 ± 4.2 kg/m2 and 27.0 ± 5.2 kg/m2 respectively, which on average showed that the subjects were overweight. Food habits evaluation indicated that rice, fish and vegetables were the foods consumed almost everyday by the majority of the subjects. Meat, dairy products and fruits were eaten once to three times per week. Food intake score for sugar and salt demonstrated that a majority of men and women consumed moderate amounts of these foods. Most subjects exercised twice to three times a week for 15 min per session. Blood glucose tests revealed a mean of 5.04 ± 1.60 mmol/l in men and 4.86 ± 2.10 mmol/l for women. Mean cholesterol for men was 5.06 ± 1.22 mmol/l while it was 4.90 ± 1.34 mmol/l in women. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in men was normal of 127.69 ± 13.60 mm Hg dan 85.87 ± 7.97 mm Hg, while in women it was 127.42 ± 17.54 mm Hg, 83.53 ± 9.50 mm Hg. The mean value for glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure increased with age. The food habits of these adults were satisfactory; however blood test for the nutrients of interest exhibited an increasing trend towards blood pressure, blood cholesterol and glucose with age. Middle-aged adults should adapt to a more active lifestyle and be more cautious of their food habits. This is to ensure a healthy well being throughout their life span.
  2. Fulltext Nutritional status and complementary feeding among Penan infants and young children in rural Sarawak, Malaysia
    Bong, M.W., Norimah A. Karim, Ismail Mohd Noor
    Malays J Nutr, 2018;24(4):539-550.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: The Penan people are largely settled in rural and remote areas of
    Sarawak with high rates of undernutrition among the children. The study aimed to
    determine the nutritional status and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices
    of Penan children. Methods: Subjects consisted of 121 children, aged between 0-23
    months, from 15 Penan longhouses in Belaga district. Malnutrition was assessed
    using anthropometric measurements of children and categorised according to the
    World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Standards (2006). Feeding practices were
    assessed using questionnaires based on WHO IYCF Indicators (2008). Results:
    The prevalence of underweight was 29.8%; stunting 43.0% and wasting 5.8%.
    Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months was 44.4%. About 86% of
    infants aged 6-8 months were already given solid, semi-solid and soft foods. The
    proportion of children aged 6-23 months achieving minimum dietary diversity
    (MDD) was 76.6%, while minimum meal frequency (MMF) was 83.0% (breastfed and
    non-breastfed). Among the children who achieved MDD, 64.9% of their meals were
    derived from 4-5 food groups. More than half (55.3%) of all subjects (breastfed and
    non-breastfed) received minimum acceptable diet (MAD). Achievement of iron-rich
    foods (IRF) indicator was 77.7%. There was no significant association between the
    IYCF indicators of MDD, MMF and MAD and underweight, stunting and wasting.
    Conclusion: A high prevalence of poor nutritional status was recorded among
    the Penan children. While the IYCF indicators apparently showed satisfactory
    complementary feeding practices, future studies should assess quantitatively the
    intake of complementary food among Penan infants and young children.
  3. Fulltext Calibration of a food frequency questionnaire developed for the South Asian community in the United Kingdom
    Norimah A, Margetts B
    Malays J Nutr, 1997 Mar;3(1):49-60.
    PMID: 22692234
    An interview administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) consisting of 75 food items was developed and calibrated against a four day weighed record (WR). The FFQ was also calibrated against a proxy for biomarker, the energy intake/basal metabolic rate ratio (EI/BMR). A total of 58 subjects (35 women, 23 men) aged between 19 and 76 years of Pakistani and Indian origin in Southampton, United Kingdom (UK) participated in this calibration study. The results for men and women combined together suggested reasonable agreement between FFQ and WR estimates of intake with Spearman rank correlation coefficient ranging between 0.26 and 0.38 (energy unadjusted). Gender specific agreement was however, poor. The percent mean difference between nutrient estimates by FFQ and WR was in general within 10% for energy, fat and protein in women while in the range of 11% to 25% in men. The percent mean difference for other nutrients such as sugar and dietary fibre ranged between 18% and 99% in men and women; while was 9% and 6% for starch in men and women respectively. The ranking of subjects into the thirds of distribution was poor with gross misclassification in the range of 5% to 14% in men and 15% to 29% in women. Comparison of both FFQ and WR with EI/BMR ratio showed that there were more underreporters of energy intake when reporting intake using WR than FFQ in both men and women. Based on these results, it was concluded that further development of the FFQ was needed before the FFQ could be used to evaluate the usual dietary intake in the South Asian population.
  4. Fulltext Knowledge on body weight management amongst working women in Kuala Lumpur. [Pengetahuan pengurusan berat badan di kalangan wanita bekerja di Kuala Lumpur.]
    Poh, B.K., Sia, P.H., Norimah A. Karim, Mohd Ismail Noor
    Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2006;4(1):71-84.
    MyJurnal
    Obesity prevalence and body image consciousness are on the rise, and women often try to lose weight using a variety of methods. This paper reports the knowledge on body weight management amongst working women aged 30 – 45 years in Kuala Lumpur. Respondents comprised 131 school teachers and 122 civil servants. Anthropometric measurements included body weight and height; while knowledge on weight management was assessed using a questionnaire. The respondents were Malay (64%), Chinese (26%) and Indian women (10%) with mean age of 38.3 ± 4.6 years old. The respondents were grouped into two weight categories based on body mass index (BMI): normal weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2) and overweight (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2). Mean body weight and BMI were significantly different (p < 0.001) between the two weight categories. Overweight and normal weight groups had mean body weight of 69.0 ± 9.5 kg and 53.5 ± 5.3 kg; while mean BMI were 29.2 ± 3.6 kg/ m2 dan 21.9 ± 1.7 kg/m2; respectively. Mean scores for knowledge on weight management were similar for both weight categories, 62.4 ± 13.7 and 61.8 ± 13.4 for overweight and normal weight, respectively. A majority of overweight (71%) and normal weight (73%) women had moderate level (scores 50–74%) of weight management knowledge. However, it was interesting to note that there were more overweight women (20%) who had high knowledge level (scores ≥ 75%) as compared to normal weight women (15%). Only 9% of overweight and 12% of normal weight women demonstrated low knowledge level (scores <50%). School teachers were significantly (p < 0.001) more knowledgeable than civil servants in weight management matters with mean knowledge scores of 65.5 ± 12.3 and 58.4 ± 13.9, respectively. On the whole, the results indicated that women were fairly knowledgeable in healthy body weight management. Knowledge on body weight management is essential for preventing comorbidity risks related to overweight problem. The study also revealed that there was a need for nutrition education related to body image and effective weight management. Key words: Body weight management, working women, overweight, obesity
  5. Fulltext Food choices and diet quality in the school food environment: a qualitative insight from the perspective of adolescents
    Suhaila Abdul Ghaffar, Ruzita Abdul Talib, Norimah A. Karim
    Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(201):16-24.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Overweight and obesity among adolescents are not caused by a single factor, and evidence indicates that the food environment is one of the driving forces behind the current escalating obesity epidemic. Therefore, it is imperative to explore any perceived factors related to food choices and quality of food in the school food environ- ment among adolescents. Methods: A qualitative study based on the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) was conducted on a purposive, multi-ethnic sample of 51 adolescents from different localities. The semi-structured and in-depth in- terviews were fully transcribed and analyzed qualitatively using Atlas.Ti. The transcribed texts were coded into simi- lar and related themes such as food choices, quality of food, social-peers’ influence, cost of food and self-awareness. Results: The findings revealed that there is a clustering of barriers to practising a healthy dietary intake within the school food environment. Accessibility to low cost snacks and fried foods, influence by parents and peers, as well as the autonomous character of informants in making their own purchases are the contributing factors to healthy eating practice among adolescents. Conclusions: The study highlights that the barriers to practicing healthy eating consid- erably outweighs the enabling factors. Therefore, the findings will help facilitate the construction of policy-driven environmental changes as well as strategies in designing effective and multilevel interventions that raise awareness in helping adolescents navigate healthy food in their school’s compound.
  6. Food and Nutrition in Malaysian Children
    Karim NA, Razak NA
    Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser, 2019;91:123-130.
    PMID: 30865965 DOI: 10.1159/000493704
    Two nationwide studies, namely the South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS Malaysia) and MyBreakfast study showed that 13-17% of children aged between 6 and 12 years were either overweight or obese. From dietary assessment, the majority of children achieved the Malaysian recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for energy and protein, but more than 50% did not fulfill the RNI for calcium and vitamin D. The majority of children consumed breakfast regularly; however, 20-30% of children skipped breakfast. The MyBreakfast study showed that 17.7% of the children consumed ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) at breakfast, while among non-RTEC consumers, bread (44.2%), eggs (31.8%), and nasi lemak (23.9%) were the most common foods consumed. RTEC was the major contributor of whole grain (68.6%), followed by hot cereal (18.6%), biscuits (8.7%), and bread (1.8%). In the SEANUTS Malaysia, among children aged 7-9 years, 13.4 and 9.5% met the Malaysian Dietary Guideline (MDG) for fruits and vegetables while among children aged 10-12 years, only 19.6 and 16.1%, respectively, met the MDG for fruits and vegetables. For the milk group, only 5.5% of 7- to 9-year-old children and 3.7% of those 10-12 years old met the MDG for milk/dairy products per day.
  7. Fulltext Effectiveness of a nutrition education intervention for primary school children: the healthy kids programme, Malaysia
    Chin Yit Siew, Tee E Siong, Zawiah Hashim, Rasyedah Ahmad Raqi, Norimah A Karim
    Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2020;16(106):1-10.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: This paper discussed the effectiveness of “Healthy Kids Programme (HKP)”, specifically in improving the body weight status as well as knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the children. Methods: In this longi- tudinal intervention study, a total of 12 primary schools in Klang Valley were randomly selected and divided into intervention and control groups. There were 386 standard three children participated at baseline. All children in the intervention group participated in the HKP that was conducted by nutritionists. The evaluations included the pre- and post-Immediate Impact survey (IIS) (every topic), and changes in nutrition KAP survey and anthropometric assess- ment of the children at the beginning and end of every year for three years. Results: School children in intervention group reported with an increased in the IIS score for each topic and achieved a significantly higher mean nutrition knowledge score than those in the control group over time. There were no significant differences in mean attitude and practice scores between two groups after the intervention. Children in the intervention group had lower rates of overweight and obesity (pre-test: 27.3%; post-test: 32.5%) than their counterpart (pre-test: 26.6%; post-test: 44.0%). Conclusions: The HKP is effective in improving nutrition knowledge of the children. A lower rate of overweight and obesity was observed in intervention group than control group. This approach will contribute towards inculcating healthy eating and active lifestyle habits among Malaysian children that bring about long-term health benefits.
  8. Fulltext The effect of low glycemic index bread eaten with different fillings on blood glucose response in healthy individuals
    Barakatun Nisak Mohd Yusof, Ruzita Abd. Talib, Norimah A. Karim, Nor Azmi Kamarudin, Fatimah Arshad
    Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2008;6(1):1-10.
    MyJurnal
    White and whole meal breads have been classified as high glycemic index (GI) foods which in turn produce the greatest rise in blood glucose. One of the commercial bread products in Malaysia known as Brown breads (BB) has been recently marketed as a healthy choice for diabetics due to its low GI value. This study was conducted to examine the effect of BB when eaten with different fillings on blood glucose response among healthy individuals and to describe the influences of these fillings in reducing blood glucose response. Five test meals using BB (BB eaten with baked beans, BB eaten with vegetable, BB eaten with apple, BB eaten with roast chicken and BB eaten with seaweeds) had been prepared for this study. Postprandial blood glucose response was determined for each test meal and reference food (glucose) that contained 50 g carbohydrate respectively. A total of 21 healthy subjects were recruited by advertisement to participate. Only 20 subjects (15 males, 5 females, Mean + SD Age : 24.4 + 3.7 years; BMI 23.4 + 3.0 kgm-2) completed this study. After an overnight fast, subjects consumed BB eaten with fillings according to the assigned group given and three repeated tests of reference food (glucose). Fasting capillary blood glucose samples were taken at time 0 and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min respectively after the meal began. The blood glucose response was obtained by calculating the incremental area under the curve (AUC). Blood glucose response after consuming reference food (251.8 + 12.1 mmol.min/L) was significantly higher than all the test meals (p < 0.05). Among the test meals, BB eaten with baked beans produced the highest rise in blood glucose (97.0 + 16.9 mmol.min/L) whereas BB eaten with seaweeds demonstrated the lowest response in blood glucose (33.3 + 6.5 mmol.min/L) and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The postprandial blood glucose response after ingestion of BB when eaten with vegetable was 73.3 + 19.1 mmol.min/L followed by BB eaten with apple (58.9 + 12.2 mmol.min/L) and BB eaten with roast chicken (56.5 + 10.1 mmol.min/L). Generally, BB when eaten with fillings produced a slow rise in blood glucose response than the reference food. Combining this BB with fillings had the effect of reducing the postprandial blood glucose further.
  9. Fulltext Weight loss practice using physical activity among working women in Klang Valley, Malaysia
    Sena Abdullah Abdul Jabbar Al-Qalah, Hasanain Faisal Ghazi, Zaleha Md.Isa, Norimah A. Karim
    Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2014;14(3):0-0.
    MyJurnal
    An increase in physical activity is a key component for effective weight loss. It helps to control weight loss by using excess calories as well as boosting metabolism and lowering insulin levels. Physical activity also helps prevent many chronic diseases and improve the overall human health. The objective of this study was to assess weight loss practice using physical activity strategies among working women in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 639 adult Malaysian working women were screened and 120 respondents were identified based on their experience of losing at least 10% of their highest lifetime body weight, which is a criterion for successful weight-loss. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from 120 successful weight loss respondents. Physical activity was measured by using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short version. Results showed that 35.8% of women had low physical activity level; slightly above than one third of women (38.3%) had moderate activity level, while 25.8% women had high physical activity level.The most common physical activity monitoring strategies implemented were exercise at least 30 minutes per day (22.5%) and incorporate physical activity into daily life (21.7%). A total of 70.8% women regained weight after significant weight loss. A total of 40.0% who regained weight as compared to 25.7% of those who did not regain weight were physically inactive (p=0.138). There was no statistically significant different in daily sitting time between the two groups (p=0.627). As a conclusion, government working women in Kuala Lumpur have low to moderate physical activity levels. Majority women regained weight after significant weight loss. Common strategies to lose weight are exercise at least 30 minutes per day and incorporate physical activity into daily life. More education and promotion regarding the importance of physical activity should be done to all community members especially to the government working women.
  10. Fulltext Perceived physical activity barriers related to body weight status and sociodemographic factors among Malaysian men in Klang Valley
    Ibrahim S, Karim NA, Oon NL, Ngah WZ
    BMC Public Health, 2013;13:275.
    PMID: 23530696 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-275
    Physical inactivity has been acknowledged as a public health issue and has received increasing attention in recent years. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the barriers to physical activity among Malaysian men. These barriers were analyzed with regards to sociodemographic factors, physical activity level, BMI and waist circumference.
  11. Fulltext The impact of self-efficacy education based on the health belief model in Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled intervention study
    Mohammadi S, Karim NA, Talib RA, Amani R
    Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2018 5 9;27(3):546-555.
    PMID: 29737801 DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.072017.07
    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic illness which can be managed by patients' commitment to self-care and self-efficacy behaviors.

    METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled intervention study was carried out to determine the impact of self-efficacy education based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) in 240 patients with type 2 diabetes at the Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran between October 2014 and August 2015. The education duration was three months followed by a 24-week follow-up visit to determine the progress of the subjects. In this study, reliable and validated diabetes educational booklet and questionnaires based on knowledge, health beliefs and quality of life were used. The participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n=120) or to the conventional dietary counseling group as controls (n=120), and assessed at the baseline, week 12 and week 36. The study was divided into primary outcome measurements consisting of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and anthropometric levels. Secondary outcome measures were related to nutrition knowledge, health beliefs and quality of life.

    RESULTS: The results showed that subjects in the intervention group had significantly better metabolic and glycemic profiles compared with those in the control group. It also showed that knowledge, health belief and quality of life significantly increased in the intervention group.

    CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that through tailored self-efficacy education, the quality of life and metabolic profile of diabetes patients can be improved.

  12. Prevalence and risk factor analysis of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia among female adolescents in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
    Jalambo MO, Karim NA, Naser IA, Sharif R
    Public Health Nutr, 2018 Oct;21(15):2793-2802.
    PMID: 29911513 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980018001568
    OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of anaemia, iron deficiency (ID) and iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) among female adolescents in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, as well as the risk factors involved in these conditions.

    DESIGN: The study was conducted using the quantitative descriptive method with a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using an FFQ and sociodemographic, sedentary behaviour and physical activity questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements and blood analyses were also conducted.

    SETTING: The study population included all Palestinian female adolescents enrolled in secondary schools in the academic years 2015-2016. Five female secondary schools were selected randomly from five governorates of the Gaza Strip.

    SUBJECTS: Female adolescents (n 330) aged 15-19 years in the selected secondary schools were enrolled randomly.

    RESULTS: Prevalence of anaemia, ID and IDA among female adolescents in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, was 35·8, 40·3 and 26·0 %, respectively. A significant association (P<0·05) existed between ID, anaemia and IDA and dietary habits, including skipping breakfast and amount of junk food intake. Also, low consumption of fruits and vegetables was associated with IDA in the female adolescents. A statistically significant association was found between mother's education and ID but not with the other sociodemographic factors.

    CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that there is an alarming problem of anaemia and IDA in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. This may indicate that there are insufficient nutrition education programmes, particularly inside schools or by the mass media.

  13. Fulltext Development and validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) for assessing sugar consumption among adults in Klang Valley, Malaysia
    Shanita NS, Norimah AK, Abu Hanifah S
    Malays J Nutr, 2012 Dec;18(3):283-93.
    PMID: 24568069 MyJurnal
    The aim of this study was to develop and validate a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for assessing habitual added sugar consumption of adults in the Klang Valley.
  14. Fulltext Association of energy intake and macronutrient composition with overweight and obesity in malay women from klang valley
    Lee CL, Norimah AK, Ismail MN
    Malays J Nutr, 2010 Aug;16(2):251-60.
    PMID: 22691930 MyJurnal
    This cross-sectional study investigates the association between energy intake and macronutrient composition of the diet with overweight and obesity among Malaysian women. One hundred and fifteen adult Malay women aged 20 to 59 years (mean age 37.2±7.6 years) were interviewed. Dietary intake was assessed using the food history method. Body weight status was assessed using weight, height, waist circumference and fat percentage measurements. When energy intake was assessed for accuracy, only 41% of the subjects (n=47) were normal energy reporters. Among the normal energy reporters, 55% were of normal weight whereas 32% and 13% were overweight and obese. Mean energy intake for normal weight, overweight and obese subjects was 1685±199 kcal/day, 1810±166 kcal/day and 2119±222 kcal/day, respectively. Energy intake increased with body mass index (BMI) category. Among the overweight and obese, energy intake was respectively higher by 125 kcal/day and 434 kcal/day as compared to their normal weight counterparts (p< 0.001). There was also a significant, moderate and positive correlation between energy intake and BMI (r=0.635), waist circumference (r=0.545), and body fat percentage (r=0.534). When macronutrient composition of diet was analysed (% energy and g/1000 kcal), there was no significant difference in carbohydrate, protein or fat intake between the obese, overweight and normal weight subjects. There was also no significant correlation between macronutrient composition of the diet and body weight status. Based on these findings, we conclude that the subjects' body weight status is likely to be influenced by energy intake rather than the macronutrient composition of the diet.
  15. Glycaemic index of four commercially available breads in Malaysia
    Yusof BN, Abd Talib R, Karim NA, Kamarudin NA, Arshad F
    Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2009 Sep;60(6):487-96.
    PMID: 18785052 DOI: 10.1080/09637480701804268
    This study was carried out to determine the blood glucose response and glycaemic index (GI) values of four types of commercially available breads in Malaysia. Twelve healthy volunteers (six men, six women; body mass index, 21.9±1.6 kg/m(2); age, 22.9±1.7 years) participated in this study. The breads tested were multi-grains bread (M-Grains), wholemeal bread (WM), wholemeal bread with oatmeal (WM-Oat) and white bread (WB). The subjects were studied on seven different occasions (four tests for the tested breads and three repeated tests of the reference food) after an overnight fast. Capillary blood samples were taken immediately before (0 min) and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after consumption of the test foods. The blood glucose response was obtained by calculating the incremental area under the curve. The GI values were determined according to the standardized methodology. Our results showed that the M-Grains and WM-Oat could be categorized as intermediate GI while the WM and WB breads were high GI foods, respectively. The GI of M-Grains (56±6.2) and WM-Oat (67±6.9) were significantly lower than the reference food (glucose; GI = 100) (P < 0.05). No significant difference in GI value was seen between the reference food and the GI of WM (85±5.9) and WB (82±6.5) (P > 0.05). Among the tested breads, the GI values of M-Grains and WM-Oat were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of WM and WB. There was no relationship between the dietary fibre content of the bread with the incremental area under the curve (r = 0.15, P = 0.15) or their GI values (r = 0.17, P = 0.12), indicating that the GI value of the test breads were unaffected by the fibre content of the breads. The result of this study will provide useful nutritional information for dieticians and the public alike who may prefer low-GI over high-GI foods.
  16. Current status of coronary risk factors among rural Malays in Malaysia
    Nawawi HM, Nor IM, Noor IM, Karim NA, Arshad F, Khan R, et al.
    J Cardiovasc Risk, 2002 Feb;9(1):17-23.
    PMID: 11984213
    Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in Malaysia, despite its status as a developing country. The rural population is thought to be at low risk.
  17. Fulltext Simultaneous coffee caffeine intake and sleep deprivation alter glucose homeostasis in Iranian men: a randomized crossover trial
    Rasaei B, Talib RA, Noor MI, Karandish M, Karim NA
    Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2016 Dec;25(4):729-739.
    PMID: 27702715 DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.092015.46
    Sleep deprivation and coffee caffeine consumption have been shown to affect glucose homeostasis separately, but the combined effects of these two variables are unknown.
  18. Fulltext Medical nutrition therapy administered by a dietitian yields favourable diabetes outcomes in individual with type 2 diabetes mellitus
    Mohd Yusof BN, Ruzita AT, Norimah AK, Kamaruddin NA
    Med J Malaysia, 2013;68(1):18-23.
    PMID: 23466761 MyJurnal
    AIM: This prospective, single-group, pre-post design trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of individualised Medical Nutrition Therapy intervention administered by a dietitian in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus on glycaemic control, metabolic parameters and dietary intake.
    METHODS: Subjects (n=104; age=56.4 ±9.9 years; 37% male; years of diagnosis = 6.3 ±4.9 years) treated with diet and on a stabile dose of oral anti-diabetic agents were given dietary advice by a dietitian for a 12 week period. Individualised dietary advice was based on Malaysian Medical Nutrition Therapy for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The primary outcome measure was glycaemic control (fructosamine and HbA1c level) and the secondary outcome included measures of anthropometry, blood pressure, lipid profile, insulin levels dietary intake and knowledge on nutrition.
    RESULTS: At week 12, 100 subjects completed the study with a dropout rate of 3.8%. The post-Medical Nutrition Therapy results showed a significant reduction of fructosamine (311.5 ±50 to 297 ±44 umol/L; P< 0.001) and HbA1c (7.6 ±1.2 to 7.2 +1.1%, p<0.001) with pronounced reduction for subjects who had very high HbA1c levels of >9.3% at baseline. Waist circumference (90.7 ±10.2 to 89.1 ±9.8 cm, p<0.05), HDL-cholesterol (1.1 ±0.3 to 1.2 ±0.3 mmol/L, p<0.05), dietary intake and nutrition knowledge score (42 ±19 vs. 75 ±17%; p< 0.001) were significantly improved from the baseline.
    CONCLUSIONS: Individualised Medical Nutrition Therapy administered by a dietitian resulted in favourable diabetes outcomes, which were more apparent for individuals with higher than optimal HbA1c levels at the start of the study.
  19. Differences in Body Build in Children of Different Ethnic Groups and their Impact on the Prevalence of Stunting, Thinness, Overweight, and Obesity
    Poh BK, Wong JE, Norimah AK, Deurenberg P
    Food Nutr Bull, 2016 Mar;37(1):3-13.
    PMID: 26769039 DOI: 10.1177/0379572115626025
    The prevalence of stunting, thinness, overweight, and obesity among children differs by ethnicity. It is not known whether differences in body build across the ethnic groups influence the interpretation of nutritional parameters.
  20. Fulltext Association of Iron Deficiency with or without Anaemia and Cognitive Functions among Primary School Children in Malaysia
    Hamid Jan JM, Amal KM, Rohani A, Norimah AK
    Malays J Nutr, 2010 Aug;16(2):261-70.
    PMID: 22691931 MyJurnal
    Iron deficiency and anaemia affect millions of children worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the effect of iron deficiency with or without anaemia on cognitive functions, specifically with short-term memory, attention and visual motor coordination in children. A total of 173 primary school children was enrolled. Cognitive functions were assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Three sub-tests were selected to assess processing speed (coding test), immediate auditory memory (digit span test) and visual processing and problem solving ability (maze test). The results showed significant correlation between age and coding test (r =0.38, p< 0.001), digit span test (r =0.16, p = 0.028), and maze test scores (r =0.28, p< 0.001), and the total sub-test scores (r=0.43, p < .001). After age adjustment of the cognitive function tests, iron deficient children without anaemia scored significantly lower than the healthy children (p< 0.001) on coding test, while iron deficient children with anaemia and iron deficient children without anaemia scored significantly lower (p< 0.001) than the healthy counterparts on maze test. No significant differences were observed on digit-span score among the groups. This study confirms the negative effect of both iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia on processing speed and visual motor coordination in children.
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