Internet addiction and its relationship with food choice motives and the risk of eating disorders among young adults in Malaysia.

The COVID-19 lockdown measures have dramatically altered the daily routines of young adults. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the relationships between internet addiction, food choice motives and the risk of eating disorders in young adults during the transition to the endemic phase of COVID-19. The Internet Addiction Test was utilised to evaluate the presence and severity of internet addiction among young adults. The Food Choice Questionnaire was employed to assess the food choice motives of young adults, while the risk of eating disorders was determined using the Eating Attitude Test-26. The relationships between internet addiction, food choice motives, and the risk of eating disorders were assessed using model 4 of the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The findings indicated that 29.0% of young adults experienced moderate-to-severe internet addiction, whereas 32.6% were at risk of eating disorders. Young adults were highly valued for the price, sensory appeal, and mood when deciding food choices. The relationship between internet addiction and the risk of eating disorders was partially mediated by convenience (b = - 0.211, SE = 0.140, - 0.548 to - 0.016) and familiarity (b = 0.219, SE = 0.122, 0.019 to 0.494). A significant direct effect was also observed between internet addiction and the risk of eating disorders (B = 0.793, p = 0.017). There is an urgent need to implement intervention strategies aimed at reducing problematic internet use, promoting healthier food choices, and fostering healthy eating habits among young adults.

Food insecurity, eating behaviour, and relative weight change among young adults in the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown.

This study aims to investigate the association between food insecurity, eating behaviour and relative weight change among Malaysian young adults in the aftermath of the pandemic-led lockdown. Socio-demographics, body height, and body weight were self-reported by the young adults. Food security was assessed using the 8-item validated Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), while the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-Revised 18-item (TFEQ-R18) was adopted to evaluate the eating behaviour of young adults. Of the 447, 45.9% maintained the same body weight as before the pandemic-led lockdown. While almost half of the young adults (47.2%) were food secure, about one-fourth (24.8%) suffered moderate-to-severe food insecurity. Meanwhile, the standardised raw scores for all the eating behaviour subscales were in the ascending order of cognitive restraint (49.37 ± 18.60) < uncontrolled eating (50.61 ± 20.37) < emotional eating (50.68 ± 24.50). The findings of the Sobel test indicated that the mediation effects of eating behaviour were not statistically significant (p > 0.05), suggesting that eating behaviour (cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating) did not mediate the relationship between moderate-to-severe food insecurity and relative weight change. Health promotion interventions such as introducing food assistance programs, offering incentives for nutritious food purchases, and re-emphasising healthy eating are essential to rectify food insecurity and disordered eating among Malaysians.

The correlations between food security, diet quality and weight change among working women of reproductive age during the endemic phase of COVID-19.

Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the correlations between food security, diet quality and weight change among working women during the endemic phase of COVID-19 in the Klang Valley of Malaysia. Methods: Working women aged 18-49 years were required to self-report their socio-demographics and pre-pandemic body weight (body weight during February 2020). Body height and current body weight were measured using a SECA stadiometer and TANITA weighing scale. Food security was assessed using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES); the diet quality was determined with the Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQQ) for Malaysia. Results: The prevalence of moderate-to-severe food insecurity was 19.9%. It is noted that 64.3% of working women gained weight throughout the pandemic, with an average weight gain of 4.36 ± 3.19 kg. Concerning diet quality, the majority (82.5%) achieved the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W). Findings from linear regression revealed that food security was not significantly correlated with weight change. However, working women who failed to achieve the MDD-W gained, on average, 1.853 kg more than those who did (p = 0.040). On the other hand, no significant correlation was observed between food security status and diet quality in weight change of working women. Conclusion: The current study shall provide an impetus to develop intervention strategies for promoting healthy eating among working women.

Social determinants of self-reported psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

Total lockdown caused deleterious mental health to many, resulting from a sudden change in daily routine, working and self-isolation at home, and job and income losses. Therefore, the current study aims to assess the social determinants of self-reported psychological distress in Malaysian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Snowball and purposive sampling approaches were adopted to enroll potential respondents. Respondents were required to self-report gender, age, ethnicity, educational attainment, marital status, number of dependents, and the presence of clinically diagnosed psychological disorders. Psychological distress during the pandemic was assessed using 21-item of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). The findings revealed that respondents with primary/secondary educational attainment were 1.962 times (95% CI: 1.018-3.781, p= 0.044) more likely to suffer from depression than those with tertiary educational attainment. Conversely, the Malaysian Indians had significantly lower odds for depression compared to Malaysian Malays (AOR = 0.538, 95% CI: 0.302-0.957, p= 0.035). Likewise, females were found to have significantly greater odds for anxiety (AOR = 2.369, 95% CI: 1.317-4.260, p= 0.004) and stress (AOR = 1.976, 95% CI: 1.007-3.879, p = 0.048) than males. Being single was at significantly higher odds for anxiety (AOR = 2.032, 95% CI: 1.133-3.646, p= 0.017) during the pandemic. This study highlights the urgency to address the escalated psychological distress in Malaysian adults during the pandemic.

Comparison of eating behaviour by relative weight change status of young adults throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background and purpose: The enforcement of nationwide lockdowns has worsened the obesity epidemic in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to compare eating behaviour by relative weight change status among young adults in Malaysia throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Socio-demographics, body height, pre-pandemic body weight, and post-lockdown body weight were self-reported by the young adults. The eating behaviour was assessed using the validated Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-Revised 18-item (TFEQ-R18). The mean difference in eating behaviour subscales was analysed using MANCOVA with a Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc test. Findings: One-third of the young adults put on body weight due to the lockdowns, with an average relative weight gain of 12.44 ± 9.67%. Conversely, about one-fifth of the young adults reported having lighter body weight in the post-lockdown pandemic phase, with an average relative weight loss of 10.10 ± 4.66%. Young adults in the weight loss category had a significantly higher standardised raw score in cognitive restraints than those in the sustained weight and weight gain categories. In addition, young adults in the weight gain category had statistically higher standardised raw scores in uncontrolled eating and emotional eating compared to those in the sustained weight category. Weight trajectory during the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to disordered eating behaviour among young adults in Malaysia. Originality/value: The findings presented in this study can be potentially valuable in formulating weight management strategies in the post-COVID-19 era.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 among undergraduates during emergency remote learning.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic paralyzes the education sector. To minimize the interruption of teaching and learning, most universities in Malaysia shifted to virtual mode during this unprecedented period of the pandemic. With an ever-increasing number of Malaysians fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the education system is expected to switch back to face-to-face mode this year. It is crucial to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of COVID-19 among emergency remote learning undergraduates before reverting to physical teaching and learning. Hence, a study was conducted with this aim in mind. Methods: A total of 299 Malaysian undergraduates were recruited through a snowball sampling approach. The online questionnaire encompassed three main segments: informed consent, sociodemographic information, and KAP questions on COVID-19. Results: The mean scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 4.05/6, 11.14/12, and 5.07/7, respectively. The results of the present study showed that year 1 respondents had significantly higher levels (p < 0.05) of KAP scores than year 4 respondents. In addition, the attitude score of science majors respondents was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than those of nonscience majors. The KAP scores showed no significant difference among groups with different sexes, ethnicities, and COVID-19 histories. Partial correlation analysis revealed that the overall knowledge score was positively correlated with attitude (r = 0.193, p = 0.001) and practice (r = 0.343, p < 0.001) scores whereas the total attitude score was positively correlated with the total practice score (r = 0.149, p = 0.010). Conclusion: Our current results suggest that COVID-19 workshops, seminars, or training programs for year 4 students could be conducted to enhance their KAP levels.

Changes in Dietary Intake Patterns and Weight Status during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study Focusing on Young Adults in Malaysia.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolation has altered individuals' food purchasing behaviour and dietary intake patterns. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the changes in dietary intake patterns and their impacts on the weight status of young adults in Malaysia during the COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 1045 young adults in Malaysia. The changes in dietary intake patterns were assessed using the Dietary Diversity Questionnaire with slight modifications, while anthropometric measurements including body height, body weight before the pandemic and current body weight were self-reported. RESULTS: Overall, nearly half of the respondents (48.8%) gained weight during the confinement, with an average increment of 4.06 ± 3.23 kg. Of 1045, 45.3% reported consuming more fruits and 60.2% had higher plain water intake during the pandemic. It is observed that 41.0% to 66.8% of the young adults changed their dietary intake patterns during the pandemic. Increased consumption in cereals and grains (ß = 0.084, p = 0.015, 95% CI = 0.017-0.160), as well as oils and fats (ß = 0.123, p = 0.001, 95% CI = 0.059-0.241), was positively associated with weight gain during the pandemic. On the contrary, an increased plain water intake was negatively associated with weight gain during the lockdown (ß = -0.100, p = 0.003, 95% CI = -0.171--0.034). Findings in the current study also suggested that cutting back cereals and grains (ß = 0.156, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 0.122-0.288), as well as oils and fats (ß = 0.091, p = 0.012, 95% CI = 0.022-0.183), contributed significantly to weight loss during the pandemic confinement. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) drove up the prevalence of overweight/obesity among young adults in Malaysia. Increased consumption of cereals and grains and oils and fats contributed to weight gain in the pandemic lockdown. Nonetheless, a noticeable proportion of young adults in Malaysia shifted to a healthier food choice by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Feeding Practices during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Is there a Difference between Stay-at-Home Mothers and Work-from-Home Mothers?

This study aims to compare the feeding practices adopted by stay-at-home mothers and work-from-home mothers during the COVID-19 lockdown. Feeding practices were assessed using a 39-item validated Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ). The Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used to determine the mean difference in feeding practices by maternal employment status after adjusting for the mother's age and educational attainment and the child's age and gender. The current study revealed that a noticeable proportion of mothers adopted feeding practices that encourage balance and variety (4.45 ± 0.62), promote a healthy environment (4.34 ± 0.81) and impose dietary restrictions for health (4.32 ± 1.04) during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the mean scores of feeding practices across maternal employment status, except for the emotion regulation and modelling subscales. Work-from-home mothers had a significantly higher mean score in the emotion regulation subscale than stay-at-home mothers (F = 14.892, P < 0.001). In comparison to work-from-home mothers, stay-at-home mothers had a significantly higher mean score in the modelling subscale during the COVID-19 pandemic (F = 4.163, P = 0.044). In conclusion, there was just a modest variation in the feeding practices adopted by stay-at-home mothers and work-from-home mothers in this unprecedented pandemic.

Food security during the COVID-19 home confinement: A cross-sectional study focusing on adults in Malaysia.

The surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission cases has led to the decision to execute the Movement Control Order (MCO) by the Federal Government of MalaysiaEconomic activities, psychological wellbeing, and food security may be negatively affected by the implementation of MCO. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence of food insecurity and its associated factors during the enforcement of MCO 1.0. A total of 162 respondents were enrolled in this study using convenience and snowball sampling approaches. Socio-demographic information was self-reported by the respondents. Food security and the presence of depressive symptoms during the MCO 1.0 were assessed with Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), respectively. Current findings demonstrated that the prevalence of food insecurity was 43.2%. Ethnicity, marital status, employment status, monthly earned income and being the head of a household were significantly associated (p< 0.05) with food insecurity during the MCO 1.0. A higher odds ratio for food insecurity were observed among Malaysian Indian (OR = 2.541, CI: 1.041-6.205), those with active employment during the MCO 1.0 (OR = 4.175, CI: 1.189-14.660) and those with a monthly income of less than RM4000 during the MCO 1.0 (OR = 5.396, CI: 1.362-21.838). In conclusion, policymakers are urged to pay more attention to these vulnerable populations when formulating economic stimulus plans and coping strategies for food insecurity in the post-COVID-19 era.

Eating Behaviors among Online Learning Undergraduates during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has upended education systems. The pandemic switched traditional face-to-face classes to online classes. Poor eating behaviors in undergraduate students' lives may affect the well-being of their later stages of life. This study aimed to investigate the eating behaviors among online learning undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 122 students were recruited. The results revealed more than half of the respondents (52.46%) skipped meals. Breakfast (46.72%) was the most skipped meal. The majority of the respondents (94.26%) snacked between meals. Biscuits (88.52%), bread (84.43%), and fruits (80.33%) were the most common snacked foods. Meal skipping was found to be associated with gender (χ2 = 6.83, p < 0.05). In the future, more health interventions program aimed to promote healthy eating behaviors among undergraduates are highly warranted.

Trajectories of Food Choice Motives and Weight Status of Malaysian Youths during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Stay-at-home orders have abruptly altered food purchasing behaviour, dietary habits, and food choice motives. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the trajectory of food choice motives and their associations with the weight status of Malaysian youths in the time of COVID-19. Socio-demographic information and anthropometric measurements were self-reported by the respondents, while the food choice motives were assessed using a validated 38-item food choice questionnaire (FCQ). Of the 1013 Malaysian youths, 48.6% gained weight due to the confinement, with an average weight gain of 3.90 ± 2.92 kg. On the other hand, 47.0% to 73.0% of the youths changed their food choice motives in the time of COVID-19. Of the 10 motives, convenience (48.5%) had the largest percentage increase, followed by weight control (47.0%) and health (45.3%). Moreover, the mean scores of health (t = -3.324, p = 0.001), convenience (t = -5.869, p < 0.001), weight control (t = -7.532, p < 0.001), natural content (t = -5.957, p < 0.001), ethical concern (t = -4.419, p < 0.001) and price (t = -3.737, p < 0.001) were significantly higher during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. Findings from the multinomial regression model revealed that youths highly concerned for weight control were more likely to be in the weight loss category (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.633, Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.230-2.168, p = 0.001). Conversely, those who gained weight due to the pandemic confinement highly valued natural content in foods (AOR = 0.653, CI = 0.481-0.886, p = 0.006) when making their food choices in this unprecedented pandemic. In conclusion, Malaysian youths made healthier food choices to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Weight Status of University Students during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-National Comparative Study.

The temporary closure of learning institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically reduced the physical activity of students across all ages. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of physical inactivity and the patterns of physical activity among university students in confinement. This cross-sectional study involved 147 Malaysian students and 107 Indonesian students. Body weight before the pandemic and during the pandemic was self-reported by the respondents, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) was used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behavior of the respondents. The findings revealed that 79.6% of Malaysians and 77.6% of Indonesians were physically active during the confinement. There was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the duration devoted to vigorous-intensity activity (MMalaysian = 0.00 MET minutes/week and MIndonesian = 480.00 MET minutes/week) and moderate-intensity activity (MMalaysian = 0.00 MET minutes/week and MIndonesian = 0.00 MET minutes/week) among the studied population. During the pandemic, Malaysian students (M = 1386.00 MET minutes/week) devoted a significantly higher duration to walking (M = 1386.00 MET minutes/week) and sedentary behavior (9.16 ± 4.47 h/day) than Indonesian students (M = 990.00 MET minutes/week and sedentary behavior = 7.85 ± 4.27 h/day). Overall, no significant difference was noted in the total physical activity of Malaysian and Indonesian students during the pandemic (MMalaysian = 2826.00 MET minutes/week and MIndonesian = 1782.00 MET minutes/week). Findings from Spearman's rank correlation test suggested that there was a weak inverse correlation between the duration engaged in vigorous-intensity activity and weight change among the Malaysian students (rs = -0.199, p = 0.016), after adjusting for gender and age. Overall, the closure of learning institutions and exercise facilities has further prevented individuals from complying with the WHO recommendation of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during the period of home confinement.

Antioxidant Activities, Total Phenolic Content and Colour Parameters in the Aqueous Extracts of Avocado, Banana and Papaya Leaves (Aktiviti Antioksida, Jumlah Kandungan Fenolik dan Parameter Warna dalam Ekstrak Akueus Daun Avokado, Pisang dan Betik) / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

@#Literature has consistently reported that horticultural wastes including leaves, skin, stones and seeds contain substantial amounts of bioactive compounds. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate antioxidant activity, Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and colour parameters in avocado, banana, and papaya leaves. Antioxidant activity of the leaves was determined using Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays, TPC was evaluated using Folin-Ciocalteu assay whereas the colour parameters were analysed with a colour picker software. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 25.0 of triplicate determinations. Mean differences among the fruit leaves extracts were determined using One-way ANOVA, while the correlations between the studied components were by the Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient test. The TEAC values were in the range of 332.30 ± 18.04 µg Trolox/g D.W. (avocado leaves) to 12217.71 ± 18.04 µg Trolox/g D.W. (banana leaves) while the DPPH radical scavenging activity was from 10.07 ± 3.89% (banana leaves) to 86.70 ± 0.26 % (avocado leaves). Besides, TPC was from 871.33 ± 38.35 µg GAE/g D.W. (papaya leaves) to 1199.08 ± 6.00 µg GAE/g D.W. (avocado leaves). The hue values were from 19º in avocado leaves extract to 37º in banana leaves extract. Results from Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient test revealed that there were no significant correlations between the studied assays. Avocado leaves had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and TPC among the three extracts. Findings derived from the present study could be exploited in nutraceuticals formulation.

Soy husk extract improves physical and biochemical parameters of obese-diabetic rats through the regulation of PPARγ expression.

Unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activities are among the contributing factors for obesity and diabetes. It has been reported that consumption of naturally occurring phenolics could exert beneficial effects toward these diseases. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the ability of phenolic-rich soy husk powder extract (SHPE) in modifying the physical and biochemical parameters for obesity and diabetes. Forty-nine Sprague Dawley rats were divided into seven groups, including three supplementary/treatment groups. Rats in supplementary/treatment groups were provided with either 4 mg/kg BW Rosiglitazone Maleate, 250 mg SHPE/kg BW, or 500 mg SHPE/kg BW. The effectiveness of SHPE in alleviating obesity-diabetes was evaluated by measuring body weight (physical parameter), blood glucose metabolisms (biochemical parameters), and PPARγ expression. Findings in the present study revealed that short-term SHPE and Rosiglitazone Maleate administration improved the physical and biochemical parameters of obese-diabetic rats. In addition, SHPE was also demonstrated to upregulate PPARγ expression in adipocytes. These findings suggest that soy husk could emerge as a potential hypoglycemic and anti-adipogenic nutraceutical in future. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This was the first study to evaluate the potential effects of soy husk against the parameters of obese-diabetes in rats. In addition, promising effects derived from this study might explore the possibility of soy husk to be utilized as an antidiabetes nutraceutical.