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Background: Food label is any printed panel on a package or a container of food or food product that contains information of the nutritional value and ingredients of the product. Reading food label during food purchasing would encourage consumers to make healthier choices. This study aimed to explore the association between reading food labels and sociodemographic characteristics, antroprometry assessments, and body weight perception among students aged between 13 and 17 in Malaysia Material and methods : We analysed the data from the Adolescent Nutrition Survey 2017. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling design was used, and a total of 212 schools across Malaysia were selected for this survey. Weighting and the sample design were accounted for in all the analyses. The information read and understanding of food label was collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Results : The overall prevalence of reading food labels among students aged 13 to 17 in Malaysia was 84.5%. Girls were found to have significantly higher odds of reading food labels compared to boys (aOR 1.48, p<0.001). Indian, Malay, and others ethnicity of adolescents were reported significantly higher odds of reading food label. The student who answers correct interpretation related to nutrition labeling such as percentage of calories, highest and lowest ingredients also more likely to read the food label. Those with the perception of being overweight and obese were found to have lower odds to read food labels compared to those perceived themselves with normal weight. Students who were currently trying to reduce and increase weight were significantly more likely to read food labels. Conclusion: The prevalence of reading food labels among adolescents in Malaysia is high. However, understanding details related to nutrition labelling should be a part of all programs directed towards tackling the benefit of reading food labels while during food selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary consumption and other environmental factors are known factors associated with sodium intake. However, little is known about the influence of energy intake on this relationship. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with high sodium intake assessed from urine sodium excretion and the influence of energy intake. A nationwide, cross-sectional study was conducted from 2015 to 2016 among Malaysian health staff (MySalt 2015). A total of 1027 participants from 1568 targeted participants aged 18 years and older that were randomly selected were included in this study. Sodium intake was determined by measuring sodium excretion in the 24 hr urine test. Dietary, sociodemography, and anthropometry variables as associated risk factors were assessed. Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the association between high sodium intake (≥2000 mg/day urinary sodium) and potential risk factors. The prevalence of high sodium intake in this study was 70.1% (n=733). High sodium intake was associated with male (OR 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.41, 2.64), Bumiputera Sarawak ethnicity (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09, 0.62), and energy-adjusted sodium intake (mg/d) (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03–1.39). Our results suggested that sex, ethnicity, and energy-adjusted sodium consumption were strong risk factors associated with high sodium intake independent from energy and other potential confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Physical activity assessment in children is the first step in assessing the relationship between activity and health, as well as the determinants of childhood physical activity and changes in activity level.Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) is self- administered questionnaire to assess physical activity among older children. The objective of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children in Malay language PAQ-C (M). Methods The validation study was done among 73 students aged 10 to 17 years old. The PAQ-C was translated into Malay language using forward and backward translation. The evaluation of the psychometric properties included internal consistency, test-retest reliability and criterion validity. Reliability of PAQ-C (M) was determined using Cronbach alpha and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The PAQ-C (M) was administered twice in one week interval to assess test-retest reliability. Criterion validity was assessed between PAQ-C (M) and 3 Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR). Results The internal consistency of PAQ-C (M) assessment calculated in this study was α = 0.75 and α = 0.77 for assessments one and two, respectively. The ICC between individual items of PAQ-C (M) was 0.59 to 0.91, indicating moderate to good correlation. The Spearmen correlation coefficient between PAQ-C (M) and 3DPARwas acceptable (r=0.60, p<0.01). Conclusions In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that the PAQ-C (M) has moderate to good reliability and validity in assessing physical activity among older children and adolescents. Future validation of PAQ-C (M) against different measures such as accelerometer is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among Malaysian women remained high over the past three decades. Collaboration with existing community at-risk may be feasible for wide-scale prevention of overweight and obesity in the country. The aims of this study were to examine the impact of community-based lifestyle intervention among overweight and obese women on their anthropometric and body composition changes as compared to the usual care group.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted in low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 255 overweight and obesity individuals aged between 18 to 59 years old were assigned to either the lifestyle intervention group (n = 169) or the usual care group (n = 146) over a period of 6 months. Individuals in the intervention group received 6 individual lifestyle counselling comprised of physical activity, diet counselling and self-monitoring components aimed to achieve at least 5% weight loss while individuals in the usual care group obtained six sessions of health care seminars from health care providers. These individuals were then followed-up for another 6 months without any intervention as part of maintenance period.Results: An intention-to-treat analysis of between-groups at 6-month of intervention (β, 95% CI) revealed greater changes in weight among intervention individuals' (- 1.09 kg vs. -0.99; p < 0.018) as compared to the control group. These changes were not sustained during the maintenance phase (between 6 and 12 months). Overall significant improvement at 12th month was found for visceral fat (- 0.78 vs. -0.64; p-value = 0.017), although no significant changes between groups were detected either during intervention or maintenance phase (p > 0.05). Individuals in the intervention group showed a significant increase for skeletal muscle mass (0.13 kg) than those individuals in the control group (- 0.37 kg), p = 0.033, throughout the study period.Conclusion: This study provides evidence that an overweight and obesity prevention program can be implemented in a community setting, with some reduction of several anthropometric and body composition parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity leads to the increase of pain at different parts of the body and it is a potential marker for complications of chronic diseases. This paper aims to assess changes in the body pain among overweight and obese housewives who participated in the My Body is Fit and Fabulous at home (MyBFF@home) study.Methods: Housewives aged 18 to 59 years old from the MyBFF@home study were selected and pain was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaire. VAS measured the pain intensity at different parts of the body (score of 0-10). Data were collected at base line, 3 months and 6 months among the housewives in both the control and intervention group. Pain scores and other variables (age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference) were analysed using SPSS version 22.Results: A total of 328 housewives completed the VAS questionnaires at baseline, while 185 (56.4%) of housewives completed the VAS at 3 months and 6 months. A decreasing trend of mean pain score in both groups after 6 months was observed. However, the intervention group showed a consistent decreasing trend of pain score mainly for back pain. In the control group, there was a slight increment of score in back pain from baseline towards the 6 months period. Older housewives in both groups (aged 50 years and above) had a higher mean score of leg pain (2.86, SD: 2.82) compared to the other age group. Higher BMI was significantly associated with pain score in both groups.Conclusion: There were some changes in the level of body pain among the housewives before and after the intervention. Older obese women had a higher pain score compared to younger obese women. Pain was associated with BMI and change in BMI appears to be beneficial in reducing body pain among overweight and obese individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]