An introduction to the My Body is Fit and Fabulous at home (MyBFF@home): a community-based weight loss intervention study among Malaysian housewives

Background

The national prevalence of overweight and obesity in Malaysia has been increasing in the past 10 years and many efforts have been implemented by the Malaysian government to combat obesity problem among the Malaysian population. The aim of this paper was to describe the background of the My Body is Fit and Fabulous at home (MyBFF@home) study (Phase II).

Discussion

The MyBFF@home (Phase II) was a quasi-experimental study and it was conducted among overweight and obese housewives living in the urban areas in Malaysia. In this phase, the study involved a weight loss intervention phase (6 months) and a weight loss maintenance phase (6 months). The intervention group received a standard weight loss intervention package and the control group received group seminars related to women’s health. Measurements of weight, height, waist circumference, body composition, fasting blood lipids, dietary intake, physical activity, health literacy, body pain and quality of life were conducted during the study. Overweight and obese housewives from 14 People’s Housing/Home Project (PHP) in Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (Klang Valley) were selected as control and intervention group (N?=?328). Majority of the participants (76.1%) were from the low socioeconomic group. Data were analysed and presented according to the specific objectives and the needs for the particular topic in the present supplement report.

Conclusion

MyBFF@home is the first and the largest community-based weight loss intervention study which was conducted among overweight and obese housewives in Malaysia. Findings of the study could be used by the policy makers and the researchers to enhance the obesity intervention programme among female adults in Malaysia.

     

Comparison between self-reported physical activity (IPAQ-SF) and pedometer among overweight and obese women in the MyBFF@home study

Background

Several methods have been developed to determine a person’s physical activity level. However, there is limited evidence in determining whether someone is physically active or not. This study aims to determine the level of physical activity and to compare the usage of short version International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) and pedometer among overweight and obese women who were involved in the My Body is Fit and Fabulous at home (MyBFF@home) study.

Methods

Baseline and sixth month data from the MyBFF@home study were used for this purpose. A total of 169 of overweight and obese respondents answered the IPAQ-SF and were asked to use a pedometer for 7 days. Data from IPAQ-SF were categorised as inactive and active while data from pedometer were categorised as insufficiently active and sufficiently active by standard classification. Data on sociodemographic and anthropometry were also obtained. Cohen’s kappa was applied to measure the agreement of IPAQ-SF and pedometer in determining the physical activity level. Pre-post cross tabulation table was created to evaluate the changes in physical activity over 6 months.

Results

From 169 available respondents, 167 (98.8%) completed the IPAQ-SF and 107 (63.3%) utilised the pedometer. A total of 102 (61.1%) respondents were categorised as active from the IPAQ-SF. Meanwhile, only 9 (8.4%) respondents were categorised as sufficiently active via pedometer. Cohen’s κ found there was a poor agreement between the two methods, κ?=?0.055, p?>?0.05. After sixth months, there was +?9.4% increment in respondents who were active when assessed by IPAQ-SF but ??1.3% reductions for respondents being sufficiently active when assessed by pedometer. McNemar’s test determined that there was no significant difference in the proportion of inactive and active respondents by IPAQ-SF or sufficiently active and insufficiently active by pedometer from the baseline and sixth month of intervention.

Conclusion

The IPAQ-SF and pedometer were both able to measure physical activity. However, poor agreement between these two methods were observed among overweight and obese women.

     

A framework for testing the equality between the health concentration curve and the 45‐degree line

The health concentration curve is the standard graphical tool to depict socioeconomic health inequality in the literature on health inequality. This paper shows that testing for the absence of socioeconomic health inequality is equivalent to testing if the conditional expectation of health on income is a constant function that is equal to average health status. In consequence, any test for parametric specification of a regression function can be used to test for the absence of socioeconomic health inequality (subject to regularity conditions). Furthermore, this paper illustrates how to test for this equality using a test for parametric regression functional form and applies it to health‐related behaviors from the National Health Survey 2014.     

Disinfection efficiency of irreversible hydrocolloid impressions using different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite: a pilot study

AIM: Dental impressions are potential sources of bacterial contamination which could eventually lead to transmissible infectious diseases through the blood or saliva. Sodium hypochlorite is an effective disinfectant recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) in a 1:10 dilution for a ten minute immersion to disinfect irreversible hydrocolloid impressions. As the ADA protocol is sometimes neglected in busy practice settings, this pilot study was designed to determine an efficient and effective protocol for disinfection of irreversible hydrocolloid impressions. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Various concentrations of sodium hypochlorite and disinfection times were challenged against irreversible hydrocolloid impressions contaminated with six Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. RESULTS: A two minute immersion time in a 0.6% solution of sodium hypochlorite protocol was found to prevent bacterial growth on the impressions. CONCLUSION: Disinfection of irreversible hydrocolloid impressions in a 0.6% solution of sodium hypochlorite for two minutes was as effective as the ADA's protocol of using a 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution for ten minutes to destroy the test bacteria.     

Oral aphthous-like ulceration due to tiotropium bromide

Unwanted side-effects of a drug therapy are well known to oral medicine specialists and other colleagues. Usually they manifest itself as dry mouth, taste disturbances, various allergic or toxic reactions on the lips and/or in the oral cavity. However, the list of the drugs which might induce unwanted reactions is everyday becoming longer as more and more drugs are introduced on the market. Certain problems when diagnosing and reporting unwanted side effects of the drugs exist as only accurate method of diagnosis is repeated drug use in controlled clinical setting where fatal consequences due to the anaphilactic shock could be avoided. We report a side effect reaction to tiotropium bromide (Spiriva) cap used with HandiHaler manifesting itself as an oral ulceration in a 65 yrs old male. On the third day of drug intake the patient developed oral ulceration two times in a period of few months. Other medications he has been using for several years. To our knowledge this is a first report as an oral side-effect of this drug used for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).     

Global malalignment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: the axial deformity is the main driver

European Spine Journal - To evaluate the global alignment of non-operated subjects with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. A total of 254 subjects with AIS and 64 controls underwent low dose biplanar...     

Community pharmacists’ knowledge,behaviors and experiences about adverse drug reaction reporting in Saudi Arabia

Objective

To assess community pharmacists’ knowledge, behaviors and experiences relating to Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire. A convenience sample of 147 community pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Results

The questionnaire was distributed to 147 pharmacists, of whom 104 responded to the survey, a 70.7% response rate. The mean age of participants was 29 years. The majority (n = 101, 98.1%) had graduated with a bachelorette degree and worked in chain pharmacies (n = 68, 66.7%). Only 23 (22.1%) said they were familiar with the ADR reporting process, and only 21 (20.2%) knew that pharmacists can submit ADR reports online. The majority of the participants (n = 90, 86.5%) had never reported ADRs. Reasons for not reporting ADRs most importantly included lack of awareness about the method of reporting (n = 22, 45.9%), misconception that reporting ADRs is the duty of physician and hospital pharmacist (n = 8, 16.6%) and ADRs in community pharmacies are simple and should not be reported (n = 8, 16.6%). The most common approach perceived by community pharmacists for managing patients suffering from ADRs was to refer him/her to a physician (n = 80, 76.9%).

Conclusion

The majority of community pharmacists in Riyadh have poor knowledge of the ADR reporting process. Pharmacovigilance authorities should take necessary steps to urgently design interventional programs in order to increase the knowledge and awareness of pharmacists regarding the ADR reporting process.