Food security and diet quality among urban poor adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#This study aimed to examine the food security status of urban poor adolescents and its association with diet quality. @*SUBJECTS/METHODS@#A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 188 adolescents aged 13–18 yrs living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Household food insecurity and dietary intake data were collected using the Radimer/Cornell hunger and food insecurity instrument and 2-day 24-h dietary recalls, respectively. Diet quality was determined using the Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Weight and height were measured and body mass index-for-age, as well as height-for-age z scores were calculated. @*RESULTS@#The present study revealed that 47.9% of the adolescents experienced household food insecurity, 24.5% experienced individual food insecurity, 18.6% household food security, and 9.0% child hunger. The mean score of diet quality was 56.83 ± 10.09, with a significantly lower HEI score among food insecure adolescents (household food insecure, individual food insecure, and child hunger) than household food secure adolescents (P = 0.001). The differences between food secure and food insecure households were found to be significant for energy (P = 0.001) and nutrients including proteins (P = 0.006), carbohydrates (P = 0.005), dietary fiber (P = 0.001), folate (P < 0.001), and vitamin C (P = 0.006). The multiple linear regression showed that adolescents who experienced food insecurity (β = −0.328; P = 0.003) were found to be significantly associated with poor diet quality (F = 2.726; P < 0.01), wherein 13.3% of the variation in the diet quality was explained by the food security status. @*CONCLUSIONS@#Experiencing food insecurity contributed to poor diet quality among urban poor adolescents. Further longitudinal studies are needed to comprehensively understand this association to improve food insecurity and diet quality among urban poor communities.

Picky Eating Behaviour, Feeding Practices, Dietary Habits, Weight Status and Cognitive Function Among School Children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

@#Introduction: Picky eating behaviour was linked to nutritional problems due to limited dietary variety. This study aimed to determine the causes and consequences associated with picky eating behaviour among school-aged children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: A total of 339 children aged seven to nine years participated in this cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic factors, eating behaviours and child/ parental feeding style were assessed through parent’s questionnaires, while eating habits of children were accessed through child’s questionnaire. Body height and weight were measured; body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Cognitive function level was determined using the Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices test. Results: One third (38%) of the children were picky eaters and consumed lesser vegetables (χ2 =4.49,p=0.034) and fish (χ2 =5.55,p=0.019), but more milk and dairy products (χ2 =3.91,p=0.048), snacks (χ2 =6.25,p=0.012) and fast food (χ2 =7.35,p=0.007) compared to non-picky eaters. Picky eaters were more likely to have normal weight status based on weight-for-age, height-for-age and BMI-for-age compared to non-picky eaters (p<0.05). Picky eaters came from a household with other picky eaters in the family and their parents tend to use an instrumental feeding style. Picky eaters had a poorer cognitive function compared to non-picky eaters (p=0.03). Conclusion: We did not find significant differences in growth parameters between picky and non-picky eaters but picky eaters were more likely to have a poorer cognitive function. As parental feeding styles significantly influenced children’s eating behaviour, interventions should target parents to improve their children’s dietary variety.

Retrospective Child Feeding Practices and Obesity Risk among Young adults

@#Introduction: Early environmental factors play a major role in shaping the health of an individual. Dietary preference and habits shaped by parental feeding practice during childhood are likely to persist into adulthood which further determines body weights status. This study aimed to determine the retrospective child feeding practices associated with obesity risk in young adults. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study with 176 university students in Kuala Lumpur. Data of maternal age, gestational age and feeding practices were collected retrospectively using Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ). Subject’s current socio-demographic data was collected and anthropometric measurements were taken using standard protocol. Results: Around 22% of the subjects were overweight/ obese. No significant association was found between child feeding practices with maternal age. A significant association (p<0.05) was found between pressure to eat with gestational age, in which parent with preterm (<37 weeks gestation) and full-term subjects were more likely to pressure their child to eat as compared to post-term subjects (>42 weeks gestation). Obesity risk in young adults was higher among parents who viewed themselves as overweight (aOR=2.783; CI=1.631-4.749) and who viewed their child as overweight from birth to primary school (aOR= 1.512; CI=1.080-2.116). Young adults that were pressured by their parents to eat during childhood were less likely to be obese (aOR=0.785; CI=0.621-0.992). Conclusion: Parental influences on child feeding practices were linked to obesity risk in young adulthood. Parent education on child feeding practices is needed to maintain healthy weight status of their child from young to later life.

Fluid intake, hydration status and its association with cognitive function among adolescents in Petaling Perdana, Selangor, Malaysia

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#A cross-sectional study was undertaken to evaluate fluid intake and hydration status in association with cognitive function among 230 adolescents (10–14 years of age) in Petaling Perdana, Selangor, Malaysia. @*SUBJECTS/METHODS@#Urine color was used to measure hydration status, while fluid intake was assessed using the 15-item beverage intake questionnaire. Cognitive function was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition. @*RESULTS@#More than half of the adolescents were mildly or moderately dehydrated (59.6%) and only one-third (33.0%) were well hydrated. Among the daily fluid types, intakes of soft drinks (r = −0.180; P = 0.006), sweetened tea (r = −0.184; P= 0.005) and total sugarsweetened beverages (SSBs) (r = −0.199; P= 0.002) were negatively correlated with cognitive function. In terms of hydration status, cognitive function score was significantly higher (F-ratio = 4.102; P= 0.018) among hydrated adolescents (100.38 ± 12.01) than in dehydrated (92.00 ± 13.63) counterparts. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis, after adjusting for socio-demographic factors, showed that soft drinks (β = −0.009; P< 0.05) and sweetened tea (β = −0.019; P< 0.05) negatively predicted cognitive function (ΔR 2 = 0.044). When further control for sources of fluid, hydration status (β = −2.839; P< 0.05) was shown to negatively predict cognitive function (ΔR2 = 0.021). The above variables contributed 20.1% of the variance in cognitive function. @*CONCLUSIONS@#The results highlight the links between fluid intake (soft drinks, sweetened tea, total SSBs) and hydration status with cognitive function in adolescents. Interventions aimed at decreasing the consumption of SSBs and increasing hydration status through healthy fluid choices, such as water, could improve cognitive performance in adolescents.