The Determinants of Participation in Physical Activity in Malaysia

Objectives

In light of the importance of physical activity, the aim of the present study is to examine the factors affecting participation in physical activity among adults in Malaysia.

Methods

A logistic regression model and the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey consisting of 30,992 respondents were used.

Results

Age, income, gender, education, marital status, region, house locality, job characteristics, and medical conditions are significantly associated with participation in physical activity. In particular, old individuals, high income earners, females, the well-educated, widowed or divorced individuals, East Malaysians, urban dwellers, the unemployed, and individuals who are not diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia are less likely to be physically active than others.

Conclusion

Because sociodemographic and health factors play an important role in determining physical activity, the government should take them into account when formulating policy.     

Leisure Activity Participation as Predictor of Quality of Life in Korean Urban‐dwelling Elderly

This study investigated participation in leisure activities in urban‐dwelling elderly persons in Korea and its role in predicting quality of life. The participated activities over a 48‐hour period were recorded by each participant, and amount of participated time for each activity was calculated. Correlational analysis examined the relationship between the degree of participation in domains of leisure activity and quality of life. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine which leisure activity participation predicted quality of life. The results indicated that the participants spent the most time in “use of media”. Quality of life showed a positive correlation with “use of media”, “sports and outdoor leisure activity” and “hobby and other leisure activity”. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis found that use of media, “religious activity”, sports and outdoor leisure activity and hobby and other leisure activity significantly predicted quality of life after controlling for the effects of demographic variables. Of these variables, hobby and other leisure activity was the strongest predictor of quality of life. The results will augment treatment planning and activity management in enhancing quality of life by allied health professionals, especially occupational therapists. The findings are limited in that the sample consisted of urban‐dwelling elderly primarily with a religious affiliation. It is recommended that a cross‐cultural investigation using standard assessment measures be conducted to validate whether there is indeed similarities in time use and leisure activity participation in the elderly in different cultures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determinants of breastfeeding duration in Peninsular Malaysia

The health benefits of breastfeeding to infants and mothers have been well recognised. This study applies linear regression analysis to assess the determinants of breastfeeding duration of first born using data from the Second Malaysian Family Life Survey. The proportion of women who breastfed their first child is 82 percent, of which 97 percent reported their breastfeeding duration. The distribution of breastfeeding duration has a mean of 5.7 months and a median of two months. Important determinants of breastfeeding duration include maternal age, ethnicity, period of first birth, husband's occupation and work status of the woman.     

Smoking,Sociodemographic Determinants,and Stress in the Alabama Black Belt

Purpose: In the Alabama Black Belt, poverty is high, and the educational level is low. Studies have found increased tobacco use among individuals exposed to high levels of stress. Few studies have been conducted in this region to measure smoking status, its sociodemographic determinants, and how smoking status relates to stressful environmental conditions. Methods: A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey of 1,387 individuals. Findings: Approximately 25% of the respondents currently smoked cigarettes. Females were less likely to smoke compared to males (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.23‐0.38). Blacks were less likely to smoke cigarettes compared to whites (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.43‐0.95). Compared to individuals who were employed, participants who were unemployed or retired had increased odds of smoking (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.15‐2.20). The odds of being a current smoker were increased in the presence of moderate level stress (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.38‐3.07) or when there was a high level of stress (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.47‐3.31). Smoking was associated with increased odds of having a moderate level (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.38‐3.08) and a high level of stress (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.47‐3.32). Females who reported moderate to high levels of stress had increased odds of being smokers compared to males. Interaction between gender and stress showed deviation from additivity. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a high rate of cigarette use in the area. Increased stress levels appear to predispose females more than males to cigarette smoking. The implications of this association may guide interventions targeted at reducing smoking and its complications.     

Rates and Sociodemographic Correlates of Cancer Screening Among South Asians

Although the third largest Asian subgroup in the U.S., South Asians have rarely been included in cancer research. The purpose of this study was to assess rates and correlates of cancer screening in a community sample of South Asians. This study was a collaboration between the UCLA School of Public Health and South Asian Network (SAN), a social service organization in Southern California. Data were collected from 344 adults including a substantial portion of immigrants and individuals with low income and education. Few participants received screening within guidelines for colorectal (25%), breast (34%), cervical (57%) and prostate cancer (10%). Health insurance, younger age and increased length of stay in the U.S. predicted a higher likelihood of cancer screening. Women were significantly less likely to have received colorectal cancer screening compared to men. These results will guide SAN’s program planning efforts. Future interventions should focus on increasing cancer screening in this population.     

Participation and Citizenship of Elderly Persons

Abstract

In the article the participation of the aged users and their relatives in a local health care and social service system will be discussed. How is their citizenship defined at the grass roots level? The research data were gathered during a case management project of the action research type in a Finnish rural municipality. The data of this study consist of 13 theme interviews: five elderly persons as care receivers and eight caregivers. The research approach is a dialogue between data based analysis and conceptual reasoning.

Citizenship rights and obligations and participation should be defined flexibly and individually in the context of the local health care and social services. In the research data the elderly persons and their caregivers described participation in multiple ways. The modes of participation vary from passive and active disengagement from the process to contacting, negotiating, cooperating, and demanding     

Sociodemographic Correlates of Alcohol Consumption Among African-American and White Women

Correlates of abstention and heavier drinking were examined among 654 African-American and 474 white women, aged 19-70+, from a representative sample of households in Erie County, New York. Discriminant function analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and race, age, church attendance, family history of alcohol problems, household density, marriage, socioeconomic status (SES), employment and parity. Abstention was compared with drinking, and light/moderate drinking was compared with heavier drinking in the total sample and within each race. Compared to drinkers, abstainers were older, more religious, more likely to be African-American, or to be of lower SES. Racial differences in the correlates of abstention were found with respect to church attendance (positive association in African- Americans only), SES (negative association in African-Americans only), and household density (positive association in whites only). Compared to light/moderate drinkers, heavier drinking women were younger, less religious, more likely to be white, to have a positive family history, or to live in less crowded households. Racial differences in the correlates of heavier drinking were found with respect to church attendance (negative association in African-Americans only), parity (positive association in African-Americans only), and marital status (more heavier drinking among unmarried white women). Racial differences in the correlates of alcohol consumption document the need for further examination of the culture-specific determinants of women's drinking patterns.     

Sociodemographic Variation in the Perception of Barriers to Exercise Among Japanese Adults

Background

The perception of barriers to exercise is an important correlate of exercise participation. However, only a limited number of studies—mostly from Western countries—have attempted to describe the perceptions of barriers to exercise in specific population groups. This study examined the associations between sociodemographic attributes and perceived barriers to exercise in Japanese adults.

Methods

A population-based cross sectional study of 865 participants (age: 20–69 years old, men: 46.5%) was conducted in 4 cities in Japan. Nine sociodemographic attributes (sex, age, location of residence, educational attainment, marital status, employment status, presence of dependents in the household, self-rated health, body mass index), along with exercise frequency and perception of barriers to exercise (discomfort, lack of motivation, lack of time, lack of social support, poor environment) were assessed by self-administered questionnaire.

Results

The most strongly perceived barrier was lack of time. Five of 9 sociodemographic attributes were significantly related to certain types of perceived barriers. Participants who more strongly perceived barriers were younger, more highly educated, more likely to be employed, and had relatively poor self-rated health and a high BMI. The specific types of barriers that were strongly perceived varied with the sociodemographic attributes of the participants.

Conclusions

The results show that the perception of barriers to exercise varies among specific population groups, which indicates the importance of targeting exercise promotion strategies to specific populations.Key words: exercise, physical activity, perceived barrier, sociodemographic correlates     

Determinants of body weight status in Malaysia: an ethnic comparison

Objective  

To investigate the roles of sociodemographic and health lifestyle factors in affecting body mass index (BMI) across ethnic groups in Malaysia.     

Picky Eating in School-Aged Children: Sociodemographic Determinants and the Associations with Dietary Intake

Children exhibiting picky eating behavior often demonstrate strong food preferences and rejection of particular foods or food texture, which may lead to limited dietary variety and possibly inadequate or unhealthy diet. Yet, the relationship between picky eating and nutrient intake in school-aged children has not been established previously. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic determinants of picky eating and the associations between picky eating and dietary intake in children. Data of 424 healthy Saudi children aged 6–12 years were collected from their mothers. A child’s picky eating habits were captured using a validated questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics of the children were assessed. Dietary data, including 24 h dietary recalls and frequency of fruit, vegetable, and milk consumption, were collected by dietetic professionals using phone-administered interviews. Compared to those of normal-weight mothers, children of mothers with obesity had higher odds of being in the highest tertile of picky eating (OR = 1.93; 95% CI 1.02, 3.63). Children exhibiting higher levels of picky eating consumed less fruits (B = −0.03; 95% CI −0.06, −0.01), vegetables (B = −0.05; 95% CI −0.07, −0.02), and protein (B = −0.21; 95% CI −0.33, −0.09), and had higher consumption of trans fatty acid intake (B = 1.10; 95% CI 0.06, 2.15). Children with higher levels of picky eating presented unhealthy dietary behaviors. Future studies are needed to examine the long-term effect of picky eating on cardiovascular health. Dietary behaviors of mothers with obesity must be taken into consideration when designing intervention programs aiming to improve eating behaviors of children.     

Determinants of Diet Quality in Pregnancy: Sociodemographic,Pregnancy-specific,and Food Environment Influences

ObjectiveTo advance the knowledge of determinants of diet quality in pregnancy by focusing on both personal characteristics and the food environment.DesignCross-sectional study in which participants from the Prenatal Health Project were linked to a geographic dataset by home address. Access to fast food, convenience stores, and grocery stores was measured using a geographic information system (ArcGIS9.3).SettingPregnant women (n = 2,282) were recruited between 2002 and 2005 in London, Ontario, Canada.Main Outcome MeasureDietary quality was measured using a validated food frequency questionnaire and the Canadian Diet Quality Index for Pregnancy.AnalysisUnivariate and multivariate linear regressions were calculated with the predictor variables on the Canadian Diet Quality Index for Pregnancy.ResultsPregnant women who were born in Canada, common-law, nulliparous, less physically active, smokers, more anxious, or lacking family support had lower diet quality on average. Presence of fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery stores within 500 m of participants’ homes was not associated with diet quality after controlling for personal variables.Conclusions and ImplicationsThe food environment does not seem to have a large influence on diet quality in pregnancy. Further research is needed to determine other potential reasons for low diet quality among pregnant women.     

Sociodemographic and Lesbian-Specific Factors Associated with Physical Activity Among Adult Lesbians

BackgroundAlthough participation in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) results in health benefits, the majority of adult lesbians are not sufficiently active. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between sociodemographic factors (age, education level, body mass index [BMI], race, partner status, employment status, annual household income, general health status, diagnosis of chronic conditions, children under 18 years living at home) and lesbian-specific factors (connection with the lesbian community, public identification as a lesbian) to participation in MVPA.MethodsParticipants included 847 self-identified lesbians 18 to 74 years old (M_age = 40.5; SD = 11.6) who completed a 20-minute, web-based survey.FindingsThe binary logistic regression model that included the 10 demographic factors was significantly associated with MVPA, χ² (15, N = 847) = 105.62, p < .001. However, when the two lesbian-specific factors were added, the model did not improve significantly, χ² (2, N = 847) = 5.20, p = .07. BMI and general health status were significantly associated with MVPA (Wald χ² (2) = 19.5, p < .001) and (Wald χ² (4) = 41.2, p < .001). Obese participants had 54.5% lower odds than healthy weight participants to engage in sufficient amounts of MVPA. Participants who reported general health status as excellent compared with those who reported poor had 12.7 times greater odds of engaging in sufficient amounts of MVPA.ConclusionsFuture research should extend on this study by utilizing sampling methods that target the recruitment of lesbian women not actively involved in lesbian-related activities.     

The Determinants of Food Choices of the Elderly

The increase in individuals over 60 years of age in America must cause professionals from the fields of nutrition, food science, food systems management and the food industry to consider the determinants of food choices and the effects on the overall health and well-being of elderly citizens and those soon to be in their mature years. Income, household composition, food prefercnces, time, technology, education, good health, attitudes, physiological changes in vision, hearing, taste and smell, psychological and sociological factors all affect the food choices of the elderly.     

Sociocultural Determinants of Teenage Childbearing Among Latinas in California

Objectives U.S. Latinas have a persistently high rate of teenage childbearing, which is associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and child. This study was designed to investigate the roles of socioeconomic factors and acculturation in teenage childbearing in this population. Methods Logistic regression was used to analyze the association of measures of acculturation (language spoken at home, nativity, and age at immigration) and respondents’ parents’ education with age at first birth in a stratified sample of post-partum women in California. Results The unadjusted odds ratio for teenage birth for Latinas versus non-Latina Whites was 5.2 (95% CI 4.1–6.6). Nativity was not significantly associated with teen birth, but speaking Spanish at home was positively associated and immigrating at a later age was negatively associated with teen birth. Overall, these measures of acculturation accounted for 17% (95% CI 8–28%) of the difference in odds of teen birth between Latinas and non-Latina Whites. Higher levels of education among respondents’ parents had differentially protective effects across the racial/ethnic groups. Controlling for disparities in respondents’ parents’ education without changing its differential effects across racial/ethnic groups reduced the odds ratio for Latinas compared to non-Latina Whites by 30% (95% CI 14–60%). Conclusion These findings call into question common assumptions about the protective effect of acculturation on teen fertility and suggest that improving childhood socioeconomic factors among Latinas may decrease teen childbearing.     

Sociodemographic Factors Related to Quality of Life Among Premenopausal Women in Ibadan,Nigeria

Quality of life (QoL) of premenopausal women (PW) was assessed using primary data collected between September and December 2011. A 26-item questionnaire (WHO-QoL BREF) was administered to 285 apparently healthy women selected from two local government areas in Ibadan. The scores were categorized into poor (≤79.53) and good (>79.53) QoL. Multiple logistic regressions were used to study factors associated with QoL. The mean score for the overall QoL (OQoL) was 65.18 ± 11.35 (range = 81.25). The Cronbach’s alpha for all domains as well as the OQoL were within an acceptable range. The proportion of women with good OQoL was significantly higher in the urban areas (18.2 percent) than in the rural areas (9.2 percent) (p < .05). The proportion of respondents with good OQoL was significantly higher for women aged <20 years (37.5 percent) than older women (p < .01). Teenage participants were almost ten times as likely to have a good social relationship than participants above 35 years of age (odds ratio: 9.52; 95% confidence interval: 1.83–49.40). The authors’ results suggest that the WHO-QoL BREF is a reliable instrument for measuring QoL among PW in Nigeria. Younger PW and women in the urban areas were more likely to have good QoL.     

Food Patterns Among Elderly Hospitalized Alcoholics

The predisposition of elderly hospitalized alcoholic veterans to various food consumption patterns is marked by certain characteristics. Degrees of depressed and non-depressed moods and feelins were identified in this study through a standardized Adjective Check List. The number of food groups underconsumed was not shown to be related directly or significantly to the control variables. Recommended is an intervention model to enhance effective management, continuity of care and follow-up of the older patient during and after hospitalization.