1.Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid nutrition amongst Malaysians are far from desirable
Tony Kock Wai Ng ; Sivalingam Nalliah ; Azlinda Hamid ; Siew Rong Wong ; Sim Ling Chee ; Cheryl Andrea Augustine
International e-Journal of Science, Medicine and Education 2012;6(2):4-9
This paper reviews available reports on the
omega-6 (linoleic acid, LA) and omega-3 fatty acid
[alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) + eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid) intakes amongst
Malaysians against Malaysian Recommended Nutrient
Intakes (RNI), focussing particularly on pregnant and
lactating women because of the availability of data for
these latter vulnerable groups. Overall, the omega-6 and
omega-3 fatty acid nutrition amongst Malaysians are
poor and far from desirable. The nutritional situation
regarding these long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids
(LCPUFA) amongst Malaysian pregnant and lactating
women is alarming and warrants urgent attention
in nutrition promotion activities/counselling. Daily
consumption of LA by these women and other Malaysians
studied ranged from 3.69 - 5.61 % kcal with 38-60% of
individuals not meeting their RNIs. Daily intakes of
omega-3 fatty acids faired worse, averaging 0.21- 0.33
% kcal with as high as 92% of subjects in one study not
meeting their RNIs. The omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid
ratios obtained in the studies reviewed are about 20:1,
which is way above the World Health Organisationrecommended
ratio of 5-10:1. Dietary sources of these
omega- fatty acids in the subjects studied are chicken,
fish and milk. Since local foods are not particularly
rich in LCPUFA such as EPA and DHA, the options
to improve EPA/DHA nutrition amongst Malaysians are
the greater consumption of omega-3 enriched foods and
in the case of pregnant and lactating women, LCPUFA
supplementation may warrant serious consideration.
2.Vaping - A Precipitating Factor of Pneumothorax in A Smoker?
Wai Hou Khuan ; Chee Kuan Wong
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2023;19(No.1):366-368
A 24 years old man who was a dual user of tobacco smoke and e-cigarette presented with one month history of right
sided pleuritic chest pain, associated with cough and shortness of breath a week prior to the admission. He was diagnosed with a right primary spontaneous pneumothorax. A right pleural catheter was inserted after a failed simple
needle aspiration. He recovered uneventfully. Advice on quitting smoking and vaping was given prior to discharge.
This case highlights the importance of obtaining a thorough history including vaping from every patient who experiences pneumothorax.
4.A survey of young ophthalmologists' perception of training in Asia during COVID-19.
Wei Wei Dayna YONG ; Teck Chang Victor KOH ; Liang SHEN ; Diva Kant MISRA ; Wing Yun Joy LEUNG ; Sudhashini CHANDRASEKARAN ; Hung Da CHOU ; Han Nian Marcus ANG ; Chee Wai WONG
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2021;50(9):729-732
Asia
;
COVID-19
;
Humans
;
Ophthalmologists
;
Perception
;
SARS-CoV-2
5.Hip fracture is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study
Suhas KRISHNAMOORTHY ; Casey Tze-Lam TANG ; Warrington Wen-Qiang HSU ; Gloria Hoi-Yee LI ; Chor-Wing SING ; Xiaowen ZHANG ; Kathryn Choon-Beng TAN ; Bernard Man-Yung CHEUNG ; Ian Chi-Kei WONG ; Annie Wai-Chee KUNG ; Ching-Lung CHEUNG
Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia 2024;10(2):60-65
Objectives:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) shares a complex relationship with bone metabolism and few studies investigated the effect of impaired bone health on the risk of T2DM. This study was conducted to investigate the association between hip fractures and the risk of incident T2DM.
Methods:
This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the real-world hip fracture cohort. Hong Kong Chinese patients aged ≥ 65 years without T2DM who were admitted to public hospitals due to a fall between 2008 and 2015 were included in the study. Patients who sustained falls with and without hip fractures were matched by propensity score (PS) at a 1:1 ratio. Competing risk regression was used to evaluate the association between hip fracture and incident T2DM, with death being the competing event.
Results:
A total of 23,314 hip fracture cases were matched to 23,314 controls. The median follow-up time was 5.09 years. The incidence rate of T2DM was 11.947 and 14.505 per 1000 person-years for the hip fracture and control group respectively. After accounting for the competing risk of death, the hip fracture group had a significantly lower risk of developing T2DM (HR: 0.771, 95% CI: 0.719–0.827). Similar results were observed in all subgroups after stratification by age and sex.
Conclusions
Hip fracture was found to be associated with a reduced risk of T2DM. These findings provide insight into the topic of bone and glucose metabolism and prompt further research in evaluating the role of bone health in the management of T2DM.
6.Treatment and outcomes of high-risk neuroblastoma in Southeast Asia: a single-institution experience and review of the literature.
Anselm Chi-Wai LEE ; Chan Hon CHUI ; Robert KWOK ; Kim Shang LEE ; Chee Meng FONG ; Wilfred Hing-Sang WONG
Singapore medical journal 2023;64(5):319-325
INTRODUCTION:
In Europe and North America, the majority of children with high-risk neuroblastoma survive the disease. Elsewhere, the treatment outcomes are poor.
METHODS:
A retrospective review of children treated for high-risk neuroblastoma in a single institution in Singapore from 2007 to 2019 was carried out. Treatment consisted of intensive chemotherapy, surgery aimed at gross total resection of residual disease after chemotherapy, consolidation with high-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell rescue, and radiotherapy to the primary and metastatic sites followed by maintenance treatment with either cis-retinoic acid or anti-disialoganglioside monoclonal antibody therapy. Survival data were examined on certain clinical and laboratory factors.
RESULTS:
There were 57 children (32 male) treated for high-risk neuroblastoma. Their mean age was 3.9 (range 0.7-14.9) years. The median follow-up time was 5.5 (range 1.8-13.0) years for the surviving patients. There were 31 survivors, with 27 patients surviving in first remission, and the five-year overall survival and event-free survival rates were 52.5% and 47.4%, respectively. On log-rank testing, only the group of 17 patients who were exclusively treated at our centre had a survival advantage. Their five-year overall survival rate compared to patients whose initial chemotherapy was done elsewhere was 81.6% versus 41.1% (P = 0.011), and that of event-free survival was 69.7% versus 36.1% (P = 0.032). Published treatment results were obtained from four countries in Southeast Asia with five-year overall survival rates from 13.5% to 28.2%.
CONCLUSION
Intensified medical and surgical treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma proved to be effective, with superior survival rates compared to previous data from Southeast Asia.
Child
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Infant
;
Child, Preschool
;
Adolescent
;
Disease-Free Survival
;
Neuroblastoma/pathology*
;
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/methods*
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use*
;
Asia, Southeastern/epidemiology*
;
Combined Modality Therapy
7.Malaysian Healthy Diet Online Survey (MHDOS): Study rationale and methodology
Jyh Eiin Wong ; Fui Chee Woon ; Yit Siew Chin ; Wai Siew Teh ; Rusidah Selamat ; Ahmad Ali Zainuddin ; Gilly A Hendrie ; E Siong Tee
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition 2023;29(No.2):273-283
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.
8.Characteristics of dietary intakes including NOVA foods among pre-adolescents living in urban Kuala Lumpur – Findings from the PREBONE-Kids study
Wai Yew Yang ; Soon Yee Wong ; Shu Hwa Ong ; Kanimolli Arasu ; Chung Yuan Chang ; Megan Hueh Zan Chong ; Meenal Mavinkurve ; Erwin Jiayuan Khoo ; Karuthan Chinna ; Connie M. Weaver ; Winnie Siew Swee Chee
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition 2023;29(No.3):401-414
Introduction: Evidence showed considerable variability of health risk factors within different socioeconomic groups. This study aimed to characterise dietary intakes by total household income among a sample of Malaysian pre-adolescents in urban Kuala Lumpur. Methods: Baseline data of 243 healthy, pre-adolescent children between 9 and 11 years old including socio-demographic background (gender, ethnicity, and total household monthly income), anthropometry (body weight and height), and
7-day diet histories were collected. Secondary analysis was performed on dietary intakes to quantify food groups based on the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines and NOVA classification systems besides nutrients. Differences and associations between total monthly household income categories with anthropometry and dietary intakes were tested using independent t-test/Mann-Whitney U (depending on normality) and chi-square tests, respectively. Results: Most children in this study population
had dietary intakes below the recommended serving sizes for five food groups, except meat/poultry (195.2±107.2%) and fish (110.1±106.3%) and consumed about 32% of energy from ultra-processed foods (NOVA food group 4). While there was no difference in dietary intake between the bottom 40% with the middle 40% and high 20% household income groups, the percentage of energy contributed by NOVA food group 4 (processed fats/oils, condiments, and sauces) was higher in the bottom 40% households (p=0.024). Conclusion: Most pre-adolescent children in this study, regardless of household income, did not meet dietary recommendations and ate diets comprised of less nutritious foods. Comprehensive approaches that aim to improve dietary patterns and reduce the risk of diet-related chronic diseases are warranted.