Dietary intake, physical activity and energy expenditure of Malaysian adolescents. Infrequent Breakfast Consumption Is Associated with Higher Body Adiposity and Abdominal Obesity in Malaysian School-Aged Adolescents A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Health Behaviors between Saudi and British Adolescents Living in Urban Areas: Gender by Country Analyses Lifestyle Habits: Diet, physical activity and sleep duration among Omani adolescents. Protocol for systematic reviews of determinants/correlates of obesity-related dietary and physical activity behaviors in young children (preschool 0 to 6 years): evidence mapping and syntheses
INTRODUCTION Paediatric obesity is a public health concern worldwide as it can track into adulthood and increase the risk of adult morbidity and mortality . While the aetiology of obesity is multi-factorial , the roles of diet and physical activity are controversial . Thus , the purpose of this study was to report on the differences in  energy intake , diet composition , time spent doing physical activity and energy expenditure  among underweight ( UW ) , normal weight ( NW ) and at-risk of overweight ( OW ) Malaysian adolescents ( 317 females and 301 males ) aged 11 - 15 years . METHODS This was a cross-sectional study with 6,555 adolescents measured for weights and heights for body mass index ( BMI ) categorisation . A total of 618 subjects were r and omly selected from each BMI category according to gender . The subjects '  dietary intake and physical activity  were assessed using self-reported three-day food and activity records , respectively . Dietary intake components included total energy and macronutrient intakes .  Energy expenditure was calculated as a sum of energy expended for basal metabolic rate and physical activity . Time spent ( in minutes ) in low , medium and high intensity activities was also calculated . RESULTS The OW adolescents had the highest crude energy intake and energy expenditure . However , after adjusting for body weight , the OW subjects had the lowest energy intake and energy expenditure ( p-value is less than 0.001 ) . The study groups did not differ significantly in time spent for low , medium and high intensity activities . Macronutrient intakes differed significantly only among the girls where the OW group had the highest intakes compared to UW and NW groups ( p-value is less than 0.05 ) . All study groups had greater than 30 percent and less than 55 percent of energy intake from fat and carbohydrate , respectively . CONCLUSION The data suggested that a combination of low energy expenditure adjusted for body weight and high dietary fat intake may be associated with overweight and obesity among adolescents . To prevent overweight and obesity among children and adolescents , strategies that address eating behaviours and physical activity are required . Various segments of the society must be involved in efforts to promote healthful dietary intakes and active lifestyle in children and adolescents Unhealthy dietary pattern increases the risk of obesity and metabolic disorders in growing children and adolescents . However , the way the habitual pattern of breakfast consumption influences body composition and risk of obesity in adolescents is not well defined . Thus , the aim of the present study was to assess any associations between breakfast consumption practice s and body composition profiles in 236 apparently healthy adolescents aged 12 to 19 years . A self-administered question naire on dietary behaviour and lifestyle practice s and a dietary food frequency question naire were used . Body composition and adiposity indices were determined using st and ard anthropometric measurement protocol s and dual energy χ-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) .  Mean age of the participants was 15.3±1.9 years . The majority of participants ( 71.2 % ) fell in the normal body mass index ( BMI ) ranges . Breakfast consumption patterns showed that only half of the participants ( 50 % ) were consuming breakfast daily . Gender-specific multivariate analyses ( ANCOVA ) showed that in both boys and girls , those eating breakfast at least 5 times a week had significantly lower body weight , body mass index ( BMI ) , BMI z-scores , waist circumference , body fat mass and percent body fat ( % BF ) compared to infrequent breakfast eaters , after adjustment for age , household income , pubertal status , eating-out and snacking practice s , daily energy intakes , and daily physical activity levels . The present findings indicate that infrequent breakfast consumption is associated with higher body adiposity and abdominal obesity . Therefore , daily breakfast consumption with healthy food choices should be encouraged in growing children and adolescents to prevent adiposity during these critical years of growth This study investigated the cross-cultural differences and similarity in health behaviors between Saudi and British adolescents . A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted at four cities in Saudi Arabia ( Riyadh and Al-Khobar ; N = 1,648 ) and Britain ( Birmingham and Coventry ; N = 1,158 ) . The participants ( 14–18 year-olds ) were r and omly selected using a  multistage stratified cluster sampling technique . Measurements included anthropometric , screen time , vali date d physical activity ( PA ) question naire and dietary habits . The overweight/obesity prevalence among Saudi adolescents ( 38.3 % ) was significantly ( p < 0.001 ) higher than that found among British adolescents ( 24.1 % ) . The British adolescents demonstrated higher total PA energy expenditure than Saudi adolescents ( means ± SE = 3,804.8 ± 81.5 vs. 2,219.9 ± 65.5 METs-min/week ) . Inactivity prevalence was significantly ( p < 0.001 ) higher among Saudi adolescents ( 64 % ) compared with that of British adolescents ( 25.5 % ) . The proportions of adolescents exceeding 2 h of daily screen time were high ( 88.0 % and 90.8 % among Saudis and British , respectively ) . The majority of Saudi and British adolescents did not have daily intakes of breakfast , fruit , vegetables and milk . MANCOVA showed significant ( p < 0.05 ) gender by country interactions in several lifestyle factors . There was a significant ( p < 0.001 ) gender differences in the ratio of physical activity to sedentary behaviors . In conclusion , Saudi and British adolescents demonstrated some similarities and differences in their PA levels , sedentary behaviors and dietary habits . Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents appear to be a cross-cultural phenomenon OBJECTIVES This study aim ed to investigate the  lifestyle habits-physical activity ( PA ) , eating habits ( EH ) , and sleep duration (SD)-of  Omani adolescents , and to examine gender differences in such variables . METHODS 802 Omani adolescents ( 442 females and 360 males ) , aged 15 - 18 years were r and omly recruited .  Anthropometric indices , PA level , and EH and SD  were evaluated by the Arab Teenage Lifestyle question naire . A semi-quantitative food frequency question naire for dietary assessment was also administered . RESULTS The results showed that although the study subjects had a sedentary lifestyle ( lack of PA , average of 6.7 hours sleep , and consumption of high calorie foods ) , they maintained a normal body mass ( less than 25 Kg/m(2 ) ) . Males were more than twice as active as females . With respect to EH , there were few gender differences , except in dairy and meat consumption where 62.5 % and 55.5 % of males consumed more than 3 servings , respectively , compared to 18.78 % and 35.2 % of females , respectively . In addition , waist/height ratio , height , reasons for being active , energy drinks , potato consumption , eating sweets , vigorous PA and breakfast EHs were statistically significant independent predictors for BMI , P < 0.05 for both males and females . CONCLUSION This study revealed a high prevalence of sedentary behaviors and a low level of physical activity , especially among females . Unhealthy dietary habits were also widely found among both genders . There is an urgent need for more research as well as a national policy promoting active living and healthy eating and discouraging sedentary behaviour among Omani adolescents Background The aim of these review s is to inform the design and content of interventions to reduce obesity in young children . The behaviors that are associated with obesity/overweight have been studied extensively ; however , the factors associated with these behaviors in young children ( 0 to 6 years ) have not been systematic ally review ed . Over the past few years the focus of obesity prevention has shifted to preschool children because of the high prevalence of obesity at school entry and recognition that habits formed in early life could track into adulthood . In order to develop effective interventions and change behavior , it is important to underst and the factors that are associated with those behaviors . For example , we need to underst and whether it would be more important to target the family , childcare setting s or the wider environment and identify the most effective way of changing these energy balance related behaviors . Methods / Design Quantitative ( intervention and observational ) and qualitative literature on determinants/correlates of fruit and vegetable intake , sugar sweetened beverage and other unhealthy diet intake , and physical activity and sedentary behaviors in young children will be systematic ally identified , mapped and review ed . A common search strategy ( no language or period restrictions ) will be used to identify papers from eight electronic data bases and this will be supplemented by h and - search ing . Next , studies in developed countries that examine the factors associated with these behaviors in children aged 0 to 6 years ( at baseline ) will be screened and mapped descriptively followed by in-depth data extraction , quality assessment and synthesis . Data from quantitative studies will be summarized using either forest plots or harvest plots and narrative synthesis , and qualitative studies using thematic analysis . Qualitative evidence will be integrated with the quantitative evidence , using a parallel synthesis approach , to provide a deeper underst and ing of effective strategies to influence these energy balance related behaviors . Discussion In addition to updating and mapping current research , these review s will be the first to comprehensively synthesize and integrate both the quantitative and qualitative evidence pertaining to determinants/correlates/barriers/facilitators of obesity related behaviors in this young age group ( 0 to 6 years ) with the aim of informing future interventions . Systematic review registration International Prospect i ve Register for Systematic Review s ( PROSPERO ) Registration number :
The studies showed that obese and overweight adolescents consume significantly more energy and macronutrients .
They are also more likely to skip their daily meals compared to their normal weight peers .
In most studies , the direction of the PA effect on body weight was unclear .
Some studies found that higher PA is associated with a lower risk of overweight and obesity .
Conclusions This review identified a lack of evidence and well-conducted prospect i ve studies on the effect of diet and PA on cardio-metabolic health of Malaysian adolescents
Background A sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet are major factors in the increasing prevalence of obesity among Malaysian adolescents .
The purpose of this systematic review is to compile the evidence from observational and intervention studies among Malaysian adolescents to evaluate the associations between diet and physical activity ( PA ) as determinants of cardio-metabolic risk factors .