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The epidemic of obesity in developed countries is commonly associated with poor dietary habit and sedentary lifestyle. However, other determinants, including education background and family income, may contribute towards the problem especially in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on obesity among 12-year-old school adolescents in Terengganu, Malaysia. Body weight and height were measured and BMI was categorised based on WHO z-score cut-off points. Information was obtained from self-reported questionnaire on parents’ education background, family income and occupation. A total of 3,798 school adolescents aged 12 years (44% boys and 56% girls) were recruited. There was no significant difference in BMI status between boys and girls, or between rural and urban participants. There were significant differences between BMI categories and gender, household income and SES level within rural areas. In the urban areas, significant differences were found between BMI categories and gender, parents’ occupational and educational level, household income and size, and SES level. A logistic regression model found several SES factors to be predictors of obesity in this population, namely, gender, household size, father’s occupation level, household income level and SES level. Each component of SES has been significantly associated with the BMI category of school adolescents, particularly in the urban areas. This suggests the requirement of multifaceted approaches, including the role of family, society and authorities, in the effort to curtail adolescent obesity.

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Crossopteryx febrifuga is one of the useful plants used in Hausa traditional medicine in North Western Nigeria. It belongs to the family Rubiaceae. The phytochemical studies of the root bark of the plant was carried out using standard procedure. The was found tocontain: steroids, flavonoids, terpenoids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, tannins, alkaloids and saponnins. The antimicrobial activity screening was carried out using both bacterial and fungal strains. The bacterial strains include: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Eschericia coli. The fungal strains Include: Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. In general, the extract showed considerable activity on the bacterial species. It inhibited the growth of both gram positive and gram negative microorganism with zones of inhibition ranging from 7-23 mm at concentrations of 50 µg/ml, 100 µg/ml and 200 µg/ml. The plant extract did not show significant activity on fungal strains. It inhibited the growth of Aspergillus fumigatus at 400 µg/ml and 500 µg/ml which produced zones of inhibition of 8 mm and 12 mm respectively at the stated concentration. It can be concluded that the activity showed by the methanolic extract of the plant is as a result of the phytochemicals present in the plant.

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