BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESThe purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity and nutritional status of children in low-income households. A cross sectional study involved a survey of households (n = 223) receiving the financial assistance.SUBJECTS/METHODSEligible mothers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria such as non-pregnant, non-lactating mothers, aged 18 to 55 years with their youngest children aged 2 to 12 years, were purposively selected. The Radimer/Cornell hunger and food-insecurity instrument was administered and children's height and weight were measured.RESULTSAbout 16.1% of the households were food secure, while 83.9% experienced some kind of food insecurity. Out of food insecure category, 29.6% households were food insecure, 19.3% women were individual food insecure and 35.0% fell into the child hunger category. Education of the mother (P = 0.047), household size (P = 0.024), number of children (P = 0.024), number of children going to school (P = 0.048), total monthly income (P < 0.001), income per capital (P < 0.001), number of household members contributing to the income (P = 0.018) and food expenditure (P = 0.006) were significant risk factors for household food insecurity. The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting in children were 61.0%, 61.4% and 30.6% respectively. Based on multinomial logistic regression, children in food-insecure households were 2.15 times more likely to be underweight and three times to be stunted than children in the food-secure households.CONCLUSIONSThe findings suggest that household food insecurity is associated with the nutritional status of the children in the rural area of Northeastern Peninsular Malaysia.

Purpose – A successful food safety intervention must be based on firm theories and a consideration of all relevant variables. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of improvement in food safety knowledge and practices of food handlers in primary school canteens through food safety training. Design/methodology/approach – A list of 98 primary schools was randomized into intervention and control groups using a multistage sampling method. The training programme for the intervention group and questionnaires for evaluating knowledge and practices were developed. On-site observations were done to assess hygienic practices during the handling of raw food and cooking equipment. In total, 16 school canteens participated in this study. Findings – Knowledge about personal hygiene and related to rules for preparing safe food was significantly improved after the food safety intervention. Some of the improvement was sustained for up to 12 weeks after the intervention. The self-reported practice score of food safety and hygiene in the intervention group was significantly higher at post1 and post2 compared to baseline. A significant within-group and between-group improvement was demonstrated for the observed behaviour of raw food handling and equipment sanitation. Originality/value – The originality of this study is to provide a new framework for the design and implementation of food safety intervention in school canteens targeted towards a specific enabling factor for behavioural change. Provision of food safety training grounded by the theory of planned behaviour was associated with significantly improved food safety knowledge and behaviour amongst food handlers.

BackgroundTetrapleura tetraptera, a seasoning and nutritive spice is also used in western African folk medicine in the management of wide variety of diseases including diabetes, inflammation and hypertension. Flavonoids and saponins are some abundant secondary metabolic constituents in the fruits of this plant. This study aimed at evaluating the potential therapeutic action of the polyphenol-rich hydroethanolic extract (HET) of this fruit in experimentally induced obese and type 2 diabetic rats (T2DM) with characteristic metabolic syndrome (MetS).MethodsMetS was induced in rats by high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet and administration of low-dose streptozotocin. Then different oral doses of HET (200 and 400 mg/kg) were administered to T2DM rats for 28 days. A standard antidiabetic drug, metformin (300 mg/kg), was used for comparison. The body weight, systolic blood pressure, oxidative stress and metabolic parameters were then assessed to evaluate the effect of HET on MetS.ResultsHET reduced weight gain, fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin levels as well as homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and alleviated obesity and T2DM associated oxidative stress and hypertension in rats. Moreover, a significantly hypolipidemic property and an attenuation of liver injury and tissue steatosis was observed after HET administration. HET further demonstrated its anti-inflammation effect via down regulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), leptin and an increase in adiponectin. The HET exhibited dose-dependent effects which were comparable to that of metformin.ConclusionsThe present study thereby demonstrates the anti-insulin resistance, antilipidemic, anti-obesity, hypotensive and anti-inflammatory properties of HET; hence it has the potential to be further developed for the management of MetS such as obesity, T2DM and hypertension.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Over the past few decades, Malaysia has been experiencing an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity that threatens the health of Malaysians. Poor dietary intake is one of the major contributors to the development of obesity and many non-communicable diseases. The dietary intakes of adults in Malaysia were assessed to determine the association between the dietary intake variables and the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) measurements. This study examined whether the dietary intake achieved the recommended nutritional guidelines and compared the intakes between both sexes. SUBJECTS/METHODS The height, weight, and WC of four-hundred-and-ninety adults (n = 490) in Malaysia were measured using standard procedures. The three-day 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted on 422 out of the 490 adults and their dietary intakes were evaluated in detail. The selected dietary intake variables were used to determine the associations with the obesity indicators. RESULTS Among the participants, 52.8% were overweight or obese. After data analysis, the mean energy intake was 1,550 kcal/day, in which male participants had a significantly higher energy and macronutrients intake than females. Protein consumption and its percentage of energy contribution exceeded the recommended range. The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and milk and milk products were lower than the recommended number of servings for a healthy diet. The male participants consumed significantly more servings of carbohydrate-based foods, meat, and fats, oils, and sweets than females. Among the selected dietary intake variables, only the carbohydrate intake was negatively associated with the BMI (Estimate b = −0.008) and WC measurements (Estimate b = −0.019) after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSIONS This study evaluated the dietary intakes of a sample of Malaysian adults and its association with the obesity indicators. The results highlight the need for improvements and modifications of the dietary intake of Malaysians to reduce the overweight and obesity rates.

Background: Anemia is a major public health problem worldwide, with adverse consequences on child growth, development, and survival. This deficiency has affected approximately a quarter of the world population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and the associated factors among preschool children in the Gaza Strip. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and September 2012. A total of 357 preschool children were selected using multistage sampling method from Jabalya refugee camp, El Remal urban area, and Al Qarara rural area. Hemoglobin level was measured, and anemia diagnosis was confirmed at a level <11.0 g/dL. In this study, we utilized a pretested questionnaire for face to face interview with mothers. Anthropometric indicators for children were measured using the WHO guideline. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the prevalence and associated factors of anemia. Results: The overall prevalence of anemia was 59.7% among preschool children in the Gaza Strip, 46.5% and 13.5% of which are mild and moderate, respectively. The mean hemoglobin level was 10.83 ± 0.86 g/dl. Conclusions: The prevalence of anemia among preschool children in the Gaza Strip was higher than those reported in previous local studies, indicating that anemia is a major public health problem. In this study, we also observed mild and moderate cases among children, whereas severe anemia was not observed. Independent predictors of anemia were geographic location, sex, age, monthly income, and malnutrition. Results provided the baseline information on anemia, therefore, especial attention should be given on intervention of anemia.

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BackgroundA qualitative study providing an in-depth exploration of people's view and the increasing burden of overweight and obesity is required. This study aimed to explore the understanding of dieting and previous experiences on weight loss attempts among overweight and obese government employees in Kelantan, Malaysia, prior to recruitment into the intervention program.MethodsThirteen focus group discussions involving 129 participants from a weight-loss intervention program were conducted within the first 1 month of recruitment. These discussions were moderated by two trained researchers in the Malay language and assisted by an interview guide. They were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was performed, and codes and themes from each discussion were constructed.ResultsThe participants understood dieting with various meanings, including skipping meals and removing rice from daily diets. They applied numerous methods to lose weight and achieved various outcomes. Health and appearance, social support, and compliance with current trends were the factors motivating these participants to lose weight. Their determination to lose weight was limited by lack of self-control and motivation, experiences of unpleasant effects, influence on weight, and environmental and health factors.ConclusionReal-life weight loss experiences and perceptions provided relevant insights into current weight loss management strategies. Some of these issues and misunderstandings should be emphasized in weight loss strategies during health promotion.

Introduction Physical activity (PA) may improve cardiometabolic fitness and increase high-molecular-weight adiponectin (HMW-Adip). The pedometer is an effective, user-friendly device to monitor PA with the aim of improving health. This study examined how counting footsteps, using a pedometer, might affect HMW-Adip and MetS components among young females. Methods Fifty-two females (21.43 ± 4.8 years) were divided into “normal” (BMI = 18–24.9 kg/m2) and “high” (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) BMI groups. Participants wore pedometers throughout the day for nine weeks. Pre-post intervention tests performed on anthropometric, biochemical, and nutrient intake variables were tested at p ≤ 0.05. Results Participants walked 7056 ± 1570 footsteps/day without a significant difference between normal (7488.49 ± 1098) and high (6739.18 ± 1793) BMI groups. After week 9, the normal BMI group improved significantly in BMI, body fat mass (BFM), and waist-hip ratio (WHR). Additionally, percent body fat, waist circumference (WC), and visceral fat area also reduced significantly in the high BMI group. A significant decrease in triglycerides (TG) (71.62 ± 29.22 vs. 62.50 ± 29.16 mg/dl, p=0.003) and insulin (21.7 ± 8.33 µU/l vs. 18.64 ± 8.25 µU/l, p=0.046) and increase in HMW-Adip (3.77 ± 0.46 vs. 3.80 ± 0.44 μg/ml, p=0.034) were recorded in the high BMI group. All participants exhibited significant inverse correlations between daily footsteps and BMI (r=−0.33, p=0.017), BFM (r=−0.29, p=0.037), WHR (r=−0.401, p=0.003), and MetS score (r=−0.49, p < 0.001) and positive correlation with HMW-Adip (r=0.331, p=0.017). A positive correlation with systolic (r=0.46, p=0.011) and diastolic (r=0.39, p=0.031) blood pressures and inverse correlation with the MetS score (r=−0.5, p=0.005) were evident in the high BMI group. Conclusion Counting footsteps using a pedometer is effective in improving MetS components (obesity, TG) and increasing HMW-Adip levels.