Determinants of metabolic syndrome among Malaysian government employees

Introduction: The metabolic syndrome comprises a collection of cardiovascular disease risks, which has been demonstrated to predict type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome is a crucial health concern in Malaysia, with a prevalence of about 42.5% in the general population based on the ‘Harmonized’ definition. The aim of this study was to ascertain the association between socioeconomic status among Malaysian government employees with metabolic syndrome, compared with those without metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, this study also aimed to ascertain the associated obesity indicators for metabolic syndrome among employees—explicitly body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, fat mass index, and waist-to-height ratio. Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken at government agencies in Putrajaya, Malaysia, via multi-stage random sampling. A total of 675 government employees were randomly sampled from a list of 3,173 government employees working in five government agencies under five geographical areas. Data on socioeconomic status, anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical assessments were collected. Results: Employees who were males had higher metabolic syndrome prevalence compared to their counterparts (p=0.019). In addition, employees aged between 20 to younger than 30 years had lowest metabolic syndrome prevalence (p=0.002). The risk of having metabolic syndrome was almost 10 times more likely in men with a waist-to-hip ratio of ≥0.90 compared to men with a waist-to-hip ratio of <0.90 (p<0.001). Women with a waist-to-hip ratio of ≥0.85 were approximately 33 times more likely to have metabolic syndrome as compared to women with waist-to-hip ratios of <0.85 (p<0.001). Men with a waist circumference of ≥90 cm were approximately twice as likely to have metabolic syndrome, compared to men with waist circumferences of <90 cm (p=0.030). The risk of having metabolic syndrome was almost three times more likely in women with a waist circumference of ≥80 cm compared to women with waist circumferences of <80 cm (p<0.001). Furthermore, the risk of having metabolic syndrome was almost five times more likely in women with fat mass indexes in Quartile 4 (≥7.93), compared to women with fat mass indexes in Quartile 1 (<5.25) [p<0.001]. On the other hand, men with waist-to-height ratios of <0.445 were 75% less likely to have metabolic syndrome as compared to men with waist-to-height ratios of ≥0.625 (p=0.020). Women with waist-to-height ratios of 0.445 to <0.525 were 95% less likely to have metabolic syndrome as compared to women with waist-to-height ratios of ≥0.625 (p<0.001). In addition, women with waist-to-height ratios of 0.525 to <0.625 were 77% less likely to have metabolic syndrome as compared to women with waist-to-height ratios of ≥0.625 (p<0.001). Conclusion: Gender and age were associated with metabolic syndrome prevalence. Waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio seems to be the better obesity indicators to predict the presence of metabolic syndrome than body mass index and body fat percentage in both men and women

Study on handing process and quality degradation of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The study employs exploratory and descriptive design, with quantitative approach and purposive sampling using self-administrated questionnaires, were obtained from 30 smallholder respondents from the Southern Region, Peninsular Malaysia. The study reveals that there was a convincing relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The main handling process factors influencing quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) were harvesting activity and handling at the plantation area. As a result, it can be deduced that the handling process factors variable explains 82.80% of the variance that reflects the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB). The overall findings reveal that the handling process factors do play a significant role in the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

Proximate composition and selected mineral determination in organically grown red pitaya (Hylocereus sp.)

Hylocereus species has generated a lot of interest as a source of natural red colour for food colouring, cosmetic industry and health potential for improving eyesight and preventing hypertension and combating anaemia. This study was conducted to determine the proximate composition, carbohydrate, crude fibres and minerals content in red pitaya fruits (Hylocereus sp.) which were obtained from organically grown plantation. Results showed that the red pitaya proximate composition were 87.30% moisture, 0.70 g ash, 0.16 g protein, 0.23 g fat, 10.10 g crude fibre and 1.48 g carbohydrate. The mineral content in red pitaya was calcium (5.70 mg), phosphorus (23.0 mg), magnesium (28.30 mg), sodium (50.15 mg), potassium (56.96 mg), iron (3.40 mg), zinc (13.87 mg) and copper (0.031 mg). The results showed that red pitaya fruits could have potential health benefits in preventing risk factors of certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, preventing hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, preventing anaemia and improving eyesight

Southeast asian medicinal plants as a potential source of antituberculosis agent

Despite all of the control strategies, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major cause of death globally and one-third of the world’s population is infected with TB. The drugs used for TB treatment have drawbacks of causing adverse side effects and emergence of resistance strains. Plant-derived medicines have since been used in traditional medical system for the treatment of numerous ailments worldwide. There were nine major review publications on antimycobacteria from plants in the last 17 years. However, none is focused on Southeast Asian medicinal plants. Hence, this review is aimed at highlighting the medicinal plants of Southeast Asian origin evaluated for anti-TB. This review is based on literatures published in various electronic database. A total of 132 plants species representing 45 families and 107 genera were reviewed; 27 species representing 20.5% exhibited most significant in vitro anti-TB activity (crude extracts and/or bioactive compounds 0–<1

Development of a Knowledge-Based Energy Damage for evaluating Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Risk

Malaysia’s construction industry has been long considered hazardous, owing to its poor health and safety record. It is proposed that one of the ways to improve safety and health in the construction industry is through the implementation of ‘off-site’ systems, commonly termed ‘industrialised building systems (IBS)’ in Malaysia, which require fewer workers on�site. This is deemed safer, based on the risk concept of reduced exposure; however, no method yet exists for determining the relative safety of various construction methods, including IBS. This thesis presents a comparative evaluation of the occupational health and safety (OHS) risk presented by different construction approaches, namely IBS and traditional methods. The evaluation involved developing a model based on the concept of ‘argumentation theory’, which helps construction designers integrate the management of OHS risk into the design process. In addition, an ‘energy damage model’ was used as an underpinning framework. Development of the model was achieved through three phases. Phase I involved collection of data on the activities involved in the construction process and their associated OHS risks, derived from five different case studies, field observation and interviews. Knowledge on design aspects that have the potential to impact on OHS was obtained from document analysis. Using the knowledge obtained in Phase I, a model was developed in the form of argument trees (Phase II), which represent a reasoning template with regard to options available to designers when they make judgements about aspects of their designs. Inferences from these aspects eventually determined the magnitude of the damaging energies for every activity involved. Finally, the model was validated by panels of experts (Phase III), and revisions and amendments were made to the model accordingly. The model provides a means of evaluating OHS risk among construction workers, which could help designers understand the extent to which their design decisions may impact on OHS and thereby assist them to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. The development of the risk assessment model represents structured knowledge that designers can draw on when making judgments about OHS risks, in the form of argument trees. The model was categorized into several damaging energies, which provides a way to evaluate the risk from start to finish. The research revealed that different approaches/methods of construction projects carried a different level of energy damage, depending on how the activities were carried out. A study of the way in which the risks change from one construction process to another shows that there is a difference in the profile of OHS risk between IBS construction and traditional methods. For example, the potential gravitational damaging energy for certain activities in the in-situ concrete and masonry method can be removed or reduced by the use of IBS/off�site methods such as the wall panel system and the panellised system. This is compatible ii with other researchers’ claims that IBS/off-site is safer and carries significantly less risk in traditional construction. This thesis contributes to knowledge by suggesting options available to product and process designers that allow them to assess the extent to which their design decisions reduce OHS risk in construction, and offering a more rigorous comparison of the OHS risks in IBS and traditional approaches. It is anticipated that the model may provide a way for designers to integrate process knowledge and awareness of safety and OHS risk variables into design to eliminate or reduce hazards in construction. Keywords: IBS, OHS in construction, knowledge-based energy damage model, off-site constructio

Study on handing process and quality degradation of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The study employs exploratory and descriptive design, with quantitative approach and purposive sampling using self-administrated questionnaires, were obtained from 30 smallholder respondents from the Southern Region, Peninsular Malaysia. The study reveals that there was a convincing relationship between quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and handling processes. The main handling process factors influencing quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) were harvesting activity and handling at the plantation area. As a result, it can be deduced that the handling process factors variable explains 82.80% of the variance that reflects the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB). The overall findings reveal that the handling process factors do play a significant role in the quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB)

EFFECTIVENESS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP STYLES IN IMPROVING SMIs MANUFACTURING BUMIPUTERA TECHNOPRENEURS PERFORMANCE IN MELAKA

Understanding effectiveness entrepreneurial leadership styles were important for theoretical and practical reasons because Bumiputera technopreneurial leaders were the individual that need to lead small and medium industries (SMIs) in today’s innovative and dynamic market in Melaka. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of entrepreneurial leadership styles in impoving SMIs manufacturing bumiputera technopreneurs performance in Melaka. The research had identified the certain personality traits, behaviors, competencies technopreneurial leaders. There were positive and significant relationship between entrepreneurial leadership styles namely transformational leadership style, transactional leadership style and charismatic style with entrepreneurial leaders’ personality traits, entrepreneurial leaders’ behaviours, entrepreneurial leaders’ competencies, entrepreneurial leaders’ monitoring companies’ operation and entrepreneurial leaders’ monitoring companies’ performance. The analysis shown that Bumiputera technopreneurial leaders and entrepreneurial leaders’ monitoring operation and performance among the Bumiputera can use it’s to evaluate SMIs success and ventures success. Also practitioners of high-risk lending may be interested in methods of assessing entrepreneurial leadership that can be introduced into their risk calculus and potentially improve the likelihood of higher returns of their venture in investments. Thus, charismatic leadership style was found most highly related to entrepreneurial leaders’ personality traits, entrepreneurial leaders’ behaviours, entrepreneurial leaders’ competencies, entrepreneurial leaders’ monitoring companies’ operation and entrepreneurial leaders’ monitoring companies’ performance followed by transactional leadership style and transformational leadership style. The conclusion, the research had provide insights for team building in executives’ teams of SMIs, for example providing guidance in finding team members that can make unique contributions via their personality traits, behaviors, competencies and ways to monitor SMIs operation and performance. Suggestions of the research can be used as a guide to present and future SMIs technopreneurs regarding entrepreneurial leadership style that have to be practiced to become successful Bumiputera technopreneurial leader in Melaka.Keywords: effectiveness, entrepreneurial leadership styles, improving, SMI Manufacturing Bumiputera Technopreneurs, performance, Melak

Comparison of accelerometer-based measurement with the international physical activity questionnaire (long form) in the assessment of physical activity level

Accurate measurement of physical activity depends on the validity and reliability of measurement instruments. The objective of the present study was to compare the assessed moderate-to-vigorous intensity component of physical activity as measured by an accelerometer and by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.From the target population of Malaysian government employees, 225 participants (mean age= 34.84 ± 8.41 years; 71.1% women) wore an accelerometer on two consecutive weekdays and one weekend day and completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Three assessments were conducted at four- and six-month intervals to compare total time spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) as measured by accelerometer and by the IPAQ. The criterion validity of the IPAQ was evaluated by Bland-Altman analysis and Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and specificity and sensitivity were calculated.Higher MVPA times were reported on the IPAQ (p<0.001) as compared to the accelerometer, while strong to very strong correlations (ranging from -0.784 to -0.981) were observed between the two instruments.The IPAQ showed good specificity incorrectly classifying adequately active individuals, but its sensitivity to identifying inadequately active people was low. The IPAQ overestimated MVPA among Malaysian government employees and demonstrated modest evidence of criterion validity. Further evaluation of self-report physical activity instruments such as the IPAQ in other Malaysian populations could help to ensure more accurate assessment of physical activity data in the country