Parental perception of child’s body weight status and its association with socio-demographic factors among Malay children in primary schools in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Considering the double burden of malnutrition in Malaysia, data on malnourished children living in welfare homes are limited. This study aimed to determine the body weight status of children living in welfare homes and its associated factors. A total of 307 children aged 7–17 years old living in 15 selected welfare homes completed a standardized questionnaire, and their body weight and height were measured by trained researchers. There were 54.4% orphans, 23.8% abandoned children, and 21.8% children from problematic families. There were 51.5% boys and 48.5% girls; 52.4% were Malays, followed by 31.3% Indians, 12.7% Chinese, and 3.6% from other ethnic groups. The prevalence of overweight and obesity (23.1%) was higher than the prevalence of thinness (8.5%). In bivariate analyses, socio-demographic factors of age (p = 0.003), sex (p = 0.0001), ethnicity (p = 0.001), and welfare home enrollment status (p = 0.003), and psychological factors of self-esteem (p = 0.003), body shape dissatisfaction (p = 0.0001), and underestimation of body weight status (p = 0.002), were significantly associated with body mass index (BMI)-for-age. In the multiple linear regression analysis, children who were either Malays (β = 0.492) or Chinese (β = 0.678), with a status of being abandoned (β = 0.409), with body shape dissatisfaction (β = 0.457), and underestimated body weight status (β = 0.628) significantly explained 39.7% of the variances in higher BMI-for-age (F = 39.550; p < 0.05). Besides socio-demographic background, the current findings emphasized the importance of incorporating body image perception in an obesity prevention intervention program in welfare homes.

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Gender and body weight status differences in the consumption frequency, choice and sugar intake of ready-to-drink sugar-sweetened beverages

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-03-2020-0243 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 122 (10) ◽

pp. 3039-3048

Author(s):

Seok Tyug Tan ◽

Nur Ainaa' Najihah Abdullah Zaini ◽

Seok Shin Tan ◽

Chin Xuan Tan

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Weight Status ◽

World Health ◽

Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽

Content Type ◽

Sugar Intake ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

Body Weight Status ◽

Consumption Frequency

PurposeFrequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) not only contribute to the incidence of dental caries but also a substantial risk for metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and arthritis. Therefore, this study aims to compare the ready-to-drink SSB (RTD-SSB) consumption frequency, choice and sugar intake across gender and body weight status.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional study involved 126 adolescents from two primary schools in Shah Alam, Selangor. Adolescents aged between 9-11 years old were enrolled using convenience sampling method. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to assess socio-demographic and RTD-SSB consumption of the adolescents. The RTD-SSB consumption was assessed with 2-day 24-hour dietary recalls (single weekend and single weekday recalls), whereas body weight and height were assessed using TANITA weighing scale and stadiometer, respectively. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0, while BMI-for-age (BAZ) z-score was determined using the World Health Organization (WHO) AnthroPlus software version 1.0.4.FindingsThe mean age of 126 adolescents was 10.82 ± 0.93 years old. The frequency of SSB consumption was 1.77 ± 1.25 times/day, whereas the average daily sugar intake was 6.3 teaspoons (26.61 ± 22.18 g) from RTD-SSBs. Flavoured milk emerged as the most frequent consumed beverage among adolescents, regardless of gender and weight status. No association was observed between the RTD-SSB consumption frequency and weight status (χ2 = 0.953, p > 0.05) as well as sugar intake and weight status (χ2 = 1.202, p > 0.05). Emerging findings demonstrated that the RTD-SSB consumption frequency, choice and sugar intake were similar across gender and weight status.Originality/valueThis was the first study that compares RTD-SSB consumption frequency, choice and sugar intake across gender and different body weight status.

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PROP taster status interacts with the built environment to influence children's food acceptance and body weight status

Obesity ◽

10.1002/oby.20059 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 786-794 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Carlye Burd ◽

Araliya Senerat ◽

Earle Chambers ◽

Kathleen L. Keller

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Built Environment ◽

Weight Status ◽

Food Acceptance ◽

Body Weight Status

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Is overweight/obesity a risk factor for atopic allergic disease in prepubertal children? A case–control study

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1515/jpem-2021-0051 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Aysel Vehapoglu ◽

Zeynep Ebru Cakın ◽

Feyza Ustabas Kahraman ◽

Mustafa Atilla Nursoy ◽

Ali Toprak

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Allergic Disease ◽

Weight Status ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

University Hospital ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Prepubertal Children ◽

Body Weight Status ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract Objectives It is unclear whether body weight status (underweight/normal weight/overweight/obese) is associated with allergic disease. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between body weight status (body mass index; BMI) and atopic allergic disease in prepubertal children, and to compare children with atopic allergic diseases with non atopic healthy children. Methods A prospective cross sectional study of 707 prepubertal children aged 3–10 years was performed; the participants were 278 atopic children with physician-diagnosed allergic disease (allergic rhinitis and asthma) (serum total IgE level >100 kU/l and eosinophilia >4%, or positivity to at least one allergen in skin test) and 429 non atopic healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Data were collected between December 2019 and November 2020 at the Pediatric General and Pediatric Allergy Outpatient Clinics of Bezmialem Vakıf University Hospital. Results Underweight was observed in 11.6% of all participants (10.8% of atopic children, 12.2% of healthy controls), and obesity in 14.9% of all participants (18.0% of atopic children, 12.8% of controls). Obese (OR 1.71; 95% CI: 1.08–2.71, p=0.021), and overweight status (OR 1.62; 95% CI: 1.06–2.50, p=0.026) were associated with an increased risk of atopic allergic disease compared to normal weight in pre-pubertal children. This association did not differ by gender. There was no relationship between underweight status and atopic allergic disease (OR 1.03; 95% CI: 0.63–1.68, p=0.894). Conclusions Overweight and obesity were associated with an increased risk of atopic allergic disease compared to normal weight among middle-income and high-income pre pubertal children living in Istanbul.

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