Socioeconomic Status and Glycemic Index Among Punjabis in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Possible Association with Metabolic Syndrome.

There are only limited reports on Punjabi's health status in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (Mets) and its risk factors among 277 subjects recruited from the Malaysian Punjabi community. Overall prevalence of Mets was 43%, but 61% among females. Subjects classified with Mets had significantly (p < 0.05) higher body mass index, visceral fat and percentage of body fat. Daily carbohydrate and glycemic index (GI) were also higher among Mets subjects (p < 0.05). Logistics regression analysis showed that primary level of education (OR 5.57, CI 1.29-23.97, p = 0.021) was a factor associated with Mets, followed by middle household income (OR 2.30, CI 1.01-5.20, p = 0.046), GI (OR 1.03, CI 1.00-1.06, p = 0.026), and age (OR 1.03, CI 1.00-1.05, p = 0.023). Mets shows high prevalence among the studied Punjabi population, prompting the consideration of adequate preventive measures, primarily among lower socioeconomic groups.

Associations between prenatal nicotine exposure, oxidative stress, and postpartum visceral fat.

This study aimed to examine the associations among prenatal nicotine exposure, oxidative stress, and postpartum visceral fat among women exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS). The study was conducted in Kelantan, Malaysia, from April 2010 to December 2012. Blood samples were collected in the second and third trimesters from 135 healthy pregnant women who were followed-up at delivery, 2 months, 6 months and 12 months postpartum. Maternal hair nicotine and oxidative stress markers during pregnancy were measured. Visceral fat was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that maternal hair nicotine concentration was associated with increased DNA damage (tail moment: ß=0.580, p=0.001) and decreased glutathione peroxidase (ß=-12.100; p=0.009) in the second trimester of pregnancy. Increased DNA damage, protein oxidation and total antioxidant capacity in the second trimester were associated with 2, 6, and 12 months postpartum visceral fat. No direct association was found between prenatal hair nicotine level and postpartum visceral fat; however, these results suggest that any relation of SHS to visceral adiposity may be indirect, mediated via enhanced oxidative stress.

Relative validity of dietary patterns during pregnancy assessed with a food frequency questionnaire.

This study aimed to assess the relative validity of maternal dietary patterns derived from a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). A total of 162 pregnant women aged 19-40-years-old were enrolled from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Birth Cohort Study in year 2010 and 2011. The FFQ was compared with three 24-h dietary recalls (DRs). Two major dietary patterns were derived from the principle component analysis which are labeled as Healthy and Less-Healthy patterns. The Pearson correlation coefficients between FFQ and DRs for Healthy and Less-Healthy patterns were 0.59 and 0.63, respectively. At least 45% of the participants were correctly classified into the same third from the FFQ and DR for both dietary patterns. The weighted kappa showed moderate agreement for Healthy pattern while good agreement for Less-Healthy pattern between these two dietary assessment methods. Our results indicate reasonable validity of the dietary patterns identified from the FFQ in pregnant women.