Thinness, overweight, and obesity among 6- To 17-year-old Malaysians : Secular trends and sociodemographic determinants from 2006-2015

Objective: To examine secular trends and sociodemographic determinants of thinness, overweight, and obesity among Malaysian children and adolescents in 2006-2015. Design: We used cross-sectional data from the National Health and Morbidity Surveys 2006, 2011, and 2015. Individuals were classified into pre- (6-9 years), early (10-13 years) and mid (14-17 years) adolescence. BMI status was determined according to the IOTF and WHO criteria, using measured height and weight. We analysed trends using log-binomial regression, by sex-age groups, stratified by sociodemographic factors (ethnicity, residential area, household size, household income), and accounting for the complex survey design. Associations between sociodemographic factors and prevalence of thinness and overweight (obesity included) in 2015 were assessed using log-Poisson regression. Setting: Nationwide population-based surveys, Malaysia. Participants: Eligible 6-17-year-olds from urban and rural residential areas (N=28,094). Results: The prevalence of thinness decreased from 2006 to 2015 (IOTF: boys from 22% to 18%, girls from 23% to 19%; WHO: boys from 9% to 7%, girls from 8% to 6%), while the prevalence of overweight increased (IOTF: boys from 20% to 26%, girls from 19% to 24%; WHO: boys from 25% to 31%, girls from 22% to 27%). These changes were statistically significant in most sex-age groups. Thinness and overweight co-existed in all sociodemographic subgroups, with variation in the prevalence estimates, but similar secular changes in most subgroups. Conclusions: Malaysia is facing a double burden of malnutrition at population level with a secular increase in overweight and obesity and a gradual decrease in thinness among 6-17-year-olds from varying sociodemographic backgrounds.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

European association for the study of obesity position statement on the global COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 12, 2020. The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), as a scientific and medical society dedicated to the promotion of health and well-being, is greatly concerned about this global health challenge and its significant impacts on individuals, families, communities, health systems, nations, and wider society

LINDA - a solution-focused low-intensity intervention aimed at improving health behaviors of young females: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

We aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized, long-term support lifestyle counseling approach in promoting healthy physical activity, improving dietary and sleeping behaviors, and preventing weight gain in young females. The counseling approach's intensity was designed to be low enough to be implementable in primary health care. METHODS: Young women (n = 3,059, age at baseline 17-21 years) attending a population-based human papilloma virus vaccination trial (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00122681) in 15 vaccination centers in different communities across Finland, were cluster-randomized into intervention and control arms of the LINDA intervention. Both intervention and control arms received counseling on sexual health and contraception from the study nurses as part of the vaccination trial. Additionally, the LINDA intervention arm (n = 1,537) received a 20-minute individualized lifestyle counseling session followed by further support at the six-monthly follow-up visits of the vaccination trial, in total for 1.5-2.5 years.The LINDA solution-focused brief therapy intervention focused on healthy physical activity, and dietary and sleeping behaviors, based on the needs and interests of the participants. Anthropometrics were measured, and data on health-related behaviors were collected using self-report questionnaires at baseline and after the intervention at 1.5-2.5 years. RESULTS: In the intervention arm, 37% vs. 31% in the control arm made an overall improvement in their health behaviors concerning physical activity, meal regularity and/or earlier bedtime (NNT = 18, 95% CI = 11-50). The per-protocol analysis further revealed that 30% of those who actually received lifestyle change support on healthy physical activity behaviors improved their physical activity level vs. 23% in the control group (NNT = 15, 95% CI = 9-38). Respectively, 36% of those who received support on healthy sleeping behaviors went to sleep earlier before school-/work-days after the intervention vs. 28% in the control group (NNT = 13, 95% CI = 7-61). Dinner irregularity increased in both groups, but less in the intervention group among those who received support on healthy dietary behaviors (NNT = 15, 95%CI = 9-46). There was no effect on weight gain between baseline and study end-point. CONCLUSIONS: The solution-focused brief therapy intervention, with individually tailored content, helped to make small, long-term overall improvements in health behaviors concerning physical activity, meal regularity and/or earlier bedtime.BioMed Central open acces

European association for the study of obesity position statement on the global COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 12, 2020. The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), as a scientific and medical society dedicated to the promotion of health and well-being, is greatly concerned about this global health challenge and its significant impacts on individuals, families, communities, health systems, nations, and wider society