South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS) II - a multi-country evaluation of nutrition and lifestyle indicators in children aged 12 years and below: Rationale and Design.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the nutritional status, growth parameters and lifestyle behaviours of children between 0.5-12 years in nationally representative samples in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the four countries, between May 2019 and April 2021. Data collected can be categorized into four categories: (1) Growth - anthropometry, body composition, development disorder, (2) Nutrient intake and dietary habits - 24-hour dietary recall, child food habits, breast feeding and complementary feeding, (3) Socio-economic status - food insecurity and child health status/environmental, and (4) Lifestyle behaviours - physical activity patterns, fitness, sunlight exposure, sleep patterns, body image and behavioural problems. Blood samples were also collected for biochemical and metabolomic analyses. With the pandemic emerging during the study, a COVID-19 questionnaire was developed and implemented. SETTING: Both rural and urban areas in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. PARTICIPANTS: Children who were well, with no physical disability or serious infections/injuries and between the age of 0.5-12 years old were recruited. RESULTS: The South East Asian Nutrition Surveys II recruited 13,933 children. Depending on the country, data collection from children were conducted in schools and commune health centres, or temples, or sub-district administrative organizations. CONCLUSIONS: The results will provide up-to-date insights into nutritional status and lifestyle behaviours of children in the four countries. Subsequently, these data will facilitate exploration of potential gaps in dietary intake among Southeast Asian children and enable local authorities to plan future nutrition and lifestyle intervention strategies.

Antimicrobial efficacy of Odontopaste in endodontics: a systematic review.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of Odontopaste in reducing the microbial load in endodontics compared to other intracanal medicaments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The literature was electronically searched on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Ovid Medline and Web of Science. In-vitro, ex-vivo and in-vivo studies that evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of Odontopaste were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for In Vitro Studies. RESULTS: A total of four in-vitro studies were included in the systematic review. One study showed that Odontopaste had significantly more microbial cell growth on roots in all dentine depths compared to other medicaments or test agents. Another study found that Odontopaste significantly decreased colony-forming units compared to propolis and chlorhexidine. Further results showed that Odontopaste did not significantly decrease microbial numbers when used in isolation. Additionally, combining Odontopaste and calcium hydroxide did not enhance the effectiveness of calcium hydroxide. The studies had a medium to high risk of bias. CONCLUSION: There is insufficient high-quality evidence to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of Odontopaste compared to other intracanal medicaments. Further research is required to determine Odontopaste's efficacy as an antimicrobial medicament in endodontics.

Continuity of Care Advocate Model (CCAM): Healthcare Workers' Perspectives on Quality Stroke Care at an Acute Unit, Rehabilitation Center and Community Rehabilitation Program in Singapore.

Physicians, nurses, social workers, and allied health professionals including physiotherapists and occupational therapists play important roles as they work closely with stroke survivors to improve functional independence in daily activities and quality of life. Yet, in Singapore little is known about their perspectives on what constitute quality stroke care based on their clinical experiences. In this project, our qualitative interviews with 15 healthcare workers at a major stroke center in the country yielded a Continuity of Care Advocate Model (CCAM) to help us better understand our participants' experience-based perspectives on quality stroke care. We found that CCAM, constructed based on the perspectives of HCWs across a stroke care continuum, is a holistic model of quality stroke care which prioritizes support for patients and their families throughout the patient's health trajectory. We conclude by discussing how this model is aligned with and differs from current research on definitions of care continuity.

Prevalence and risk factors of functional gastrointestinal disorders in Vietnamese infants and young children.

BACKGROUND: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common early in life. The prevalence of FGIDs varies among countries but is unknown in Vietnam. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of FGIDs in healthy Vietnamese infants and young children. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, observational study involving healthy infants and young children between 0 - 48 months old in Hanoi, Vietnam. A representative total of 1511 subjects completed the validated questionnaire on paediatric FGIDs. Rome IV criteria were used to define FGIDs. RESULTS: For Vietnamese infants (0-6 months) and young children (7-48 months), the prevalence of having at least one FGID was 10.0% and only 0.6% was having more than one FGID. Infantile regurgitation (9.3%) was the most prevalent FGID among infants 0-6 months of age while all other FGIDs had a low prevalence between 0-2.5%. For young children between 7 - 48 months old, functional constipation was the most common disorder at the rate of 5.6%. Association analysis revealed that the risk of infant regurgitation was significantly lower among infants with exclusively breastfeeding at 2 - 3 months and 3 - 4 months, formula initiation at 0 - 1 months, and higher paternal education level. The prevalence of functional constipation was significantly higher in male subjects, children in families with annual household income between 273,000,000 - 546,999,999 VND (or estimate around 11,800 - 23,800 USD), families with one child only, and formula feeding initiation at 1 - 2 months. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of FGIDs in Vietnamese infants and young children is relatively low compared to the published literature using Rome IV diagnostic criteria. Infantile regurgitation was the most common FGID in Vietnamese infants while functional constipation was most prevalent among Vietnamese young children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Registry Identifier: NL7286/NTR7495 .

Prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders in infants and young children in China.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in children, particularly from Asia, is largely unknown. There are not many studies done in Asia especially using the Rome IV criteria. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of FGIDs in infants and young children in a representative sample in China. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional, community-based survey was conducted among healthy infants and young children between the ages of 0-4 years in Jinhua and Shanghai, China. A total of 2604 subjects (1300 subjects from Jinhua and 1304 subjects from Shanghai) completed a validated questionnaire on pediatric gastrointestinal symptoms. FGIDs in infants and young children were diagnosed using the Rome IV criteria. RESULTS: According to the Rome IV criteria, the prevalence of having a FGID in Chinese infants and young children is 27.3%. Infant regurgitation (33.9%) was the most common FGID among the 0-6 months old while functional constipation (7.0%) was the most common among the 1-4 years old. Risk factor analysis revealed that prevalence of infantile colic was higher with better maternal education and low birth weight. Prevalence of infantile regurgitation was significantly greater in males, living in a rural area, being exclusively breast fed at least up to 4 months and starting formula feeds within the first month. The risk of functional constipation was lower for infants who were delivered vaginally. CONCLUSIONS: Infantile regurgitation was the most common FGID in Chinese infants while functional constipation was most prevalent among young Chinese children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Registry Identifier: NL6973/NTR7161 .

The Saltomachy War - A Metaverse Escape Room on the War Against Salt.

Excessive salt intake is a risk factor that leads to cardiovascular diseases. Public education on healthy eating habits and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can enable consumers to make better informed choices. This study developed a Metaverse Escape Room to increase public awareness on the "War Against Salt". Known as "The Saltomachy War" (TSW), 29 participants played the game in teams to solve puzzles across five "worlds" (rooms) to "escape" the game. Median post-game knowledge quiz scores were significantly higher than the pre-game quiz scores (12/15 versus 9/15, p<0.001). All players agreed that the content in TSW was useful in daily life (100%). TSW was easy to navigate (93.1%) and majority were engaged and actively participated in gameplay (96.6%). The storyline was creative and interesting (93.1%). Almost all players liked TSW to be in their curriculum and would recommend TSW to friends and family (96.6% each).

The medical, functional and social challenges faced by older adults with intellectual disability.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the sociodemographic and clinical profile of older adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Singapore. We studied the sociodemographic and clinical profile of older adults with ID and investigated factors associated with caregiver availability and identity in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population involved all adults with ID aged ≥40 years receiving services from the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), the largest such provider in Singapore. Information on sociodemographic and clinical profiles, functional status, and availability of caregivers were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires from guardians of older adults with ID. Descriptive characteristics were computed and chi-square and logistic regression identifi ed predictors of caregiver availability and identity. RESULTS: Participation was 95% (227/239). There were differences in client age, gender, and caregiver availability between recipients of residential and non-residential services (all P <0.05). Common comorbidities included hyperlipidaemia (17.6%), hypertension (15.9%), psychiatric diagnoses (16.3%) and epilepsy (10.6%). The majority were fully independent in basic activities of daily living, but only 21.1% were fully communicative. Only a small minority (9.4%) were exercising regularly. The majority (73.5%) of clients had a primary caregiver; almost equal proportions relied on either parents or siblings. Older client age was associated independently with the lack of a primary caregiver, independent of greater functional dependence and presence of medical comorbidities in the client. CONCLUSION: Older adults with ID have multiple medical, functional, and social issues. More can be done to support the care of this unique group of adults with special needs.