Association between Availability of Neighborhood Fast Food Outlets and Overweight Among 5–18 Year-Old Children in Peninsular Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

A growing number of fast-food outlets in close proximity to residential areas raises a question as to its impact on childhood overweight and obesity. This study aimed at determining the relationship between the availability of fast-food outlets that were in close proximity to residential areas and overweight among Malaysian children aged 5 to 18 years. Measurement data on the weight and height of 5544 children (2797 boys, 2747 girls) were obtained from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011. Overweight (including obesity) is defined as BMI-for-age z-score > +1 SD based on the WHO growth reference. Geographic information system geospatial analysis was performed to determine the number of fast-food outlets within 1000 m radius from the children’s residential address. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to examine the association between the availability of fast-food outlets (none or more than one outlet) and overweight with adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, monthly household income, parental educational level, residential area and supermarket density. Our results showed that the prevalence of overweight was 25.0% and there was a statistically significant association between the density of fast-food outlets and overweight (odds ratio: 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 1.03, 1.47). Our study suggested that the availability of fast-food outlets with close proximity in residential areas was significantly associated with being overweight among children. Limiting the number of fast-food outlets in residential areas could have a significant effect in reducing the prevalence of overweight among Malaysian children.

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Prevalence of obesity, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia and their associated factors in children and adolescents in a municipality in the Brazilian Amazon region

“…Estudos observacionais, geralmente, são reconhecidos por levantar hipóteses para serem testadas e exploradas por outros estudos epidemiológicos. As hipóteses levantadas são de que a menor prevalência de DCNT e seus fatores de risco neste estudo podem estar relacionados ao estilo de vida das crianças: a falta de transporte público que leva os alunos a ir a pé ou de bicicleta para a escola, a ausência de restaurantes "fast food", a baixa renda familiar dificultando comprar refrigerantes (alto teor de sódio e açúcar), e o hábito de brincar em espaços públicos podem justificar em parte essa redução 42 . Há um consenso entre os autores do estudo de que a intervenção mais adequada é uma mudança no estilo de vida com a implementação de dietas saudáveis e atividades físicas adequadas a partir de intervenções comunitárias, escolares e familiares 43 .…”

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) of Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) Amongst Adolescents in Malaysian Secondary Schools: A cross-Sectional Study

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