Maternal Vitamin D Status and Its Associated Environmental Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common among women during pregnancy. This study aims to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and their shared modifiable environmental factors among pregnant women in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Methods: Blood samples of 844 third-trimester pregnant women (Indonesians: 311; Malaysians: 533) were collected to determine their serum 25(OH) D levels.

The impact of Movement Control Order during the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle behaviours and body weight changes: Findings from the MyNutriLifeCOVID-19 online survey.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns have affected daily lives of the communities worldwide. This study aims to determine the lifestyle behaviours and their associations with body weight changes among Malaysian adults during the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A total of 1319 Malaysian adults participated in this cross-sectional online survey.

Inadequate Gestational Weight Gain and Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke during Pregnancy Increase the Risk of Low Birth Weight: A Cross-Sectional Study among Full-Term Infants.

Despite the advancement of the healthcare system, low birth weight (LBW) remains as one of the leading causes of under-five mortality. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of LBW and its associated factors among 483 third trimester pregnant women recruited from six selected public health clinics in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Pregnant women were interviewed for information on socio-demographic characteristics, smoking behaviour, and second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure at home and in the workplace.

Maternal Vitamin D Levels during Late Pregnancy and Risk of Allergic Diseases and Sensitization during the First Year of Life-A Birth Cohort Study.

Allergic diseases are the most common chronic illness in childhood. Findings from developed countries have reported associations between Vitamin D levels during pregnancy and offspring allergy risk. This prospective cohort study aimed to determine the associations between maternal Vitamin D levels during late pregnancy and allergic diseases in Malaysian infants during the first year of life.

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and its associated factors among third trimester Malaysian pregnant women.

Background: Despite perennial sunshine, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among Malaysians especially pregnant women. This study determines the vitamin D status and its associated factors among third trimester pregnant women attending government health clinics in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Methods: Information on socio-demographic characteristics, obstetrical history, and sun exposure were obtained through face-to-face interviews.

Contribution of early nutrition on the development of malnutrition and allergic diseases in the first year of life: a study protocol for the Mother and Infant Cohort Study (MICOS).

Background: Nutrition and environmental factors are essential for the education of the neonatal immune system. Epidemiological evidence has shown that malnutrition and allergic diseases that occur during early childhood share similar protective and risk factors. This paper describes the protocol of the Mother and Infant Cohort Study (MICOS), which aims to determine the contribution of early nutrition to the development of malnutrition and allergic diseases in infants' first year of life.

Evaluation of diet quality and its associated factors among adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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.

Adolescent self-report and parent proxy-report of health-related quality of life: an analysis of validity and reliability of PedsQL 4.0 among a sample of Malaysian adolescents and their parents.

Background: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales (PedsQL) 4.0 is a generalized assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) based on adolescent self-report and parent proxy-report. This study aims to determine the construct validity and reliability of PedsQL 4.

Association between behavioural factors and BMI-for-age among early adolescents in Hulu Langat district, Selangor, Malaysia.

Objective: This paper investigates the association between behavioural factors and BMI-for-age among early adolescents (10-11 years old) in Hulu Langat district, Selangor.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 333 primary school students. Body weight and height of the students were measured and their BMI-for-age was calculated.