2.Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour among Adolescents in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia
CC Kee ; K H Lim ; MG Sumarni ; MN Ismail ; BK Poh ; NM Amal
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2011;7(1):83-94
Physical inactivity is strongly associated with obesity and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in
children and adolescents. A cross-sectional study using multistage random sampling was conducted to
determine associations between demographic characteristics, sedentary behaviours and physical activity
among adolescents. Data were collected from 785 (414 males and 371 females) Form four students
attending 15 schools in Petaling District, Selangor using an adapted self-administered questionnaire.
Results showed that more females (50.1%) were physically inactive compared to males (39.6%) (Adjusted
odds ratio (OR): 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-2.15). Physically inactive adolescents were
less likely to participate in intramural/house league sports (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.19-2.44), school team
sports (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.03-2.04) and individual physical activities outside school (OR: 1.53, 95%
CI: 1.11-2.12) compared to their physically active counterparts. Physically inactive adolescents were
also less engaged in sedentary activities, such as television watching (OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.50-0.94),
playing computer/video game (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.28-0.72), talking on the telephone/mobile phone
text messaging (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.32-0.69) and reading (OR:0.45, 95% CI: 0.24-0.86) compared
to those who were physically active. In this study, physical activity coexists with sedentary behaviour
in adolescents. Sedentary activities may not necessarily displace physical activity among youth. In
addition, these data suggest that promoting organised sports in school and outside the school among
youths may be a potential strategy for increasing physical activity in this population.
3.Prevalence, Smoking Habit and Factors Related to Smoking and Nicotine Addiction among Lower Secondary School Male Students in Kota Tinggi District, Johor, Malaysia
Lim KH ; Sumarni MG ; Kee CC ; Norhamimah A ; Wan Rozita WM ; Amal NM
Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine 2010;10(1):28-37
Many studies on adolescent smoking have been conducted in Malaysia, but very limited information is available on smoking amongst lower secondary school male students (Forms 1 and 2). We present data from a baseline study in Kota Tinggi District, Johor on the psychosocial factors, stages of smoking acquisition and susceptibility to smoking initiation and their relationship to adolescent smoking. The study is the first wave of a 3-year longitudinal study which was conducted from March 2007 to May 2009, aimed to describe the prevalence of smoking among students in the lower secondary classes. A three stage stratified sampling was performed to obtain a sample. The Bogus Pipeline Method was employed to confirm smoking status. Prevalence of smoking was 35.5%. Smoking prevalence among students of schools located in the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) settlement areas (42.9%) was two-fold higher than in the rural and town schools combined (20.29%). Using the Fagerstrom scale, 90% of current smokers had lower addiction to nicotine. Smoking was associated with peer smoking [OR, 4.19 (95% CI, 2.57-6.82)], having a brother smoking [2.17 (1.31-3.61)], parental smoking [1.73 (1.17-2.80)] and locality where respondents attend school [1.94(1.11-3.39)]. The study indicates that, the prevalence of smoking was high in all areas especially FELDA settlement areas. Measures such as teaching of skills to resist social pressure to smoke, establishment of peer support groups and involvement of parents in anti-smoking programs are recommended to curb the high prevalence of smoking among lower secondary school students in Kota Tinggi.
4.Do Adolescents Overestimate The Prevalence Of Smoking Among Their Peers? Findings From A Study In Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia
Lim KH ; Kee CC ; Sumarni MG ; Lim KK ; Tee EO ; Christopher VM ; Noruiza Hana M ; Amal NM
Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine 2011;11(2):6-12
Adolescents who overestimate the prevalence of smoking among their peers or other teens are at higher risk to take up smoking. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the factors which are related to adolescents’ overestimation of smoking. We surveyed form four (16 years old) students in Petaling District, Selangor. A sample was selected using two-stage stratified sampling, and data were collected using standardised, self-administered questionnaires. A response rate of 80.4% (n=1045/1298) was obtained, and a total of 943 students were included in the final analysis. About 73 percent (n=688/943) of the respondents overestimated the prevalence of smoking among their peers. The odds of overestimating increased as the number of close friends who smoke increased [Two close friends, OR=3.10(1.67-5.75), three close friends OR=10.81(4.44-26.3) and four-five close friends OR= 12.91(5.31-31.43)]. Those who had an elder brother who smoked (OR=1.95 (1.18-3.24)) and females [2.08(1.37-3.33) were more likely to overestimate peer smoking prevalence. Intervention programmes to correct the misperception of peer smoking prevalence are recommended, in addition to measures to modify the other factors that are amenable to intervention, so as to reduce the risk of smoking initiation among adolescents.