Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) is broadly used as an adjunct treatment for patients to treat various kinds of disease, prevent disease and to sustain and enhance quality of life of the users. The study is aimed to investigate the association between CAM uses, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and anthropometric indices among workers or staffs in Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) Gong Badak Campus, Kuala Terengganu. A total of 300 subjects participated in this study and completed the malay version of modified HRQol (SF-12) questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements among the subjects were done. Independent t-test, One-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation were used to test the association and the hypotheses. The prevalence of CAM users was 37.3%. The results showed that bodily pain score domain was significantly higher among non-CAM users. Overall, male had higher Mental Health Composite Score (MCS) score than female. Physical Health Composite Score (PCS) was only correlated negatively with BMI among non-CAM users but negative correlated with body fat percentage in both CAM and non-CAM users. As conclusion, HRQoL had significant negative correlation with body fat percentage among CAM users. No association was found between CAM use and HRQoL scores.

Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) is broadly used as an adjunct treatment for patients to treat various kinds of disease, prevent disease and to sustain and enhance quality of life of the users. The study is aimed to investigate the association between CAM uses, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and anthropometric indices among workers or staffs in Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) Gong Badak Campus, Kuala Terengganu. A total of 300 subjects participated in this study and completed the malay version of modified HRQol (SF-12) questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements among the subjects were done. Independent t-test, One-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation were used to test the association and the hypotheses. The prevalence of CAM users was 37.3%. The results showed that bodily pain score domain was significantly higher among non-CAM users. Overall, male had higher Mental Health Composite Score (MCS) score than female. Physical Health Composite Score (PCS) was only correlated negatively with BMI among non-CAM users but negative correlated with body fat percentage in both CAM and non-CAM users. As conclusion, HRQoL had significant negative correlation with body fat percentage among CAM users. No association was found between CAM use and HRQoL scores.
CAM use ; HRQoL ; MCS ; PCS ; body fat percentage

Obese children had impaired psychosocial status as they generally tend to be socially isolated, have poor self-esteem, anxiety, mood disorder (depression and bipolar disorder) and eating disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the child-report and parent-report of HRQoL among 9-11 years old obese school children in Malaysia and to determine the associated factors of HRQoL among obese children in Malaysia. This study was a cross-sectional study involving 101 obese Malay primary school children aged 9-11 years old from eleven primary schools in Kuala Terengganu which were selected via convenience sampling. Height and weight of the respondents were measured and their BMI was calculated. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using PedsQL version 4.0. The mean age of the respondents was 10.02 ± 0.82 years old with mean BMI z-score was 3.01 ± 0.60. There were significance differences between boys and girls in; 1) emotional domain score for child-report QoL (p=0.019) using paired t-test and 2) psychosocial domain score for parent-report QoL (p=0.025). Regression analysis found that age and gender were the associated factors for Psychological Health for obese children (p<0.005). Being obese had negative effects on children’s quality of life. Various strategies interventions should be done to improve the HRQoL of these obese children. A multidisciplinary approach in schools must be organized to encourage a healthy lifestyle as part of routine among the school children.

Obese children had impaired psychosocial status as they generally tend to be socially isolated, have poor self-esteem, anxiety, mood disorder (depression and bipolar disorder) and eating disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the child-report and parent-report of HRQoL among 9-11 years old obese school children in Malaysia and to determine the associated factors of HRQoL among obese children in Malaysia. This study was a cross-sectional study involving 101 obese Malay primary school children aged 9-11 years old from eleven primary schools in Kuala Terengganu which were selected via convenience sampling. Height and weight of the respondents were measured and their BMI was calculated. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using PedsQL version 4.0. The mean age of the respondents was 10.02 ± 0.82 years old with mean BMI z-score was 3.01 ± 0.60. There were significance differences between boys and girls in; 1) emotional domain score for child-report QoL (p=0.019) using paired t-test and 2) psychosocial domain score for parent-report QoL (p=0.025). Regression analysis found that age and gender were the associated factors for Psychological Health for obese children (p<0.005). Being obese had negative effects on children’s quality of life. Various strategies interventions should be done to improve the HRQoL of these obese children. A multidisciplinary approach in schools must be organized to encourage a healthy lifestyle as part of routine among the school children.
Health-related quality of life ; obese ; children ; pedsQL