Introduction: This cross-sectional study determines factors associated with the rates of gestational weight gain (GWG) among women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: A total of 180 pregnant women (29.2 ± 4.3 years old) attending the maternal and child health clinics in Batu Pahat district were enrolled in the present study between January and February, 2015. Information regarding demographic characteristics, obstetrical history, physical activity, and calorie intake was assessed through direct interview. Anthropometric data were collected from medical records. GWG rates were determined based on 2009 IOM recommendations. Results: Of the 180 pregnant women, 37.2% were at their second trimester and 62.8% were at the third trimester of pregnancy. While 53.3% of them had excessive GWG rate, 28.9% have inadequate GWG rate. More than half of the women (56.7%) were normal weight, 21.1% overweight, 14.4% underweight, and 7.8% obese before pregnant. The total mean activity and energy intake of the pregnant women were 195.9±94.2 MET-hour/week and 2365±709 kcal/day, respectively. The multinomial logistic model indicates that women who were overweight or obese at pre-pregnancy were seven times more likely to have excessive GWG rate (OR = 7.44, 95% CI = 2.07-26.66) as compared to women who were pre-pregnancy normal weight. Conclusions: About four in every five of the pregnant women had their GWG rates outside the IOM recommendations. Women who were overweight/obese at pre-pregnancy were at-risk of having excessive GWG rate, which underlines the importance of targeting these women for pre-conception counselling on GWG.
Obesity

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine contribution of meal frequency, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods towards diet quality of adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was conducted among 373 adolescents aged from 13 to 16 years old. Diet quality of the respondents was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index for Malaysians. Meal frequency, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods were assessed through the Eating Behaviours Questionnaire (EBQ), self-efficacy for healthy eating scale, and availability of healthy foods scale, respectively. RESULTS: The majority of the respondents (80.7%) were at risk of poor diet quality. Males (mean = 34.2 +/- 8.2%) had poorer diet quality than females (mean = 39.9 +/- 9.0%) (t = -5.941, P < 0.05). Malay respondents (mean = 36.9 +/- 8.7%) had poorer diet quality than Indian respondents (mean = 41.3 +/- 10.0%) (F = 2.762, P < 0.05). Age (r = 0.123, P < 0.05), self-efficacy for healthy eating (r = 0.129, P < 0.05), and availability of healthy foods (r = 0.159, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the diet quality of the respondents. However, meal frequency was not correlated with the diet quality of the respondents. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that being a male, being a Malay, low self-efficacy for healthy eating, and low availability of healthy foods contributed significantly towards poor diet quality among respondents. CONCLUSIONS: In short, sex, ethnicity, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods were associated with diet quality among adolescents. Health practitioners should take into consideration of differences in sex and ethnicity during implementation of nutrition-related intervention programs. Self-efficacy for healthy eating and availability of healthy foods should be included as important components in improving diet quality of adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diet* ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Malaysia* ; Male ; Meals

Introduction: Access to accurate and timely dietary information is of paramount importance in evaluating and developing well-targeted public health nutrition interventions. However, nationwide nutrition surveys are conducted infrequently because they are very costly to design, conduct and analyse. Dietary assessment tools, which are quick and cost- effective, are needed for population research and regular monitoring of Malaysians’ dietary habits. This paper describes the rationale and methodology of the Malaysian Healthy Diet Online Survey (MHDOS) project, which aims to bridge this knowledge gap on dietary intake of Malaysian adults. The main objective of the two-year project is to develop MHDOS as a valid tool to measure compliance with the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines 2020. Methods: The MHDOS project has three study phases, namely (i) adaptation of an online survey and established diet quality scoring system for Malaysia, (ii) usability, validity and reliability testing of the online survey; and (iii) online survey administration in a nationwide study. The survey will be administered to approximately 10,000 Malaysian adults aged 18-59 years. Discussion: MHDOS consists of 38 questions that measures the quantity, quality and variety of foods consumed. Individuals will receive a diet quality score that reflects their overall compliance with the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines and feedback on how to improve their scores. The findings of the online survey, which serve to complement information between larger surveys, will be useful to measure compliance of Malaysians to national dietary guidelines and inform public health interventions.