Relationships of Local Food and Physical Activity Environments With Overweight in 5- to 17-Year-Old Malaysian Children

Mohamad, Maria SafuraUnit of Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland (author)

Evidence on the associations between built environment and overweight in children outside developed countries is scarce. We examined associations between access to local food and physical activity environments and overweight in 5- to 17-year-old Malaysians in two states with differing overweight levels. Information on children was measured in the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015 and combined with Geographic Information System–derived data on local food and physical activity environments. Access to the built environment was measured by presence and distance from child’s residence. Complete data were available for 880 children. Access to local food outlets and parks was higher and associated with higher occurrence of overweight in children living in the state with higher overweight prevalence. When adjusted for sociodemographic factors, higher presence of and shorter distance to convenience stores and parks were associated with overweight. Both built environment and children’s sociodemographic backgrounds should be considered when planning interventions to curb the overweight epidemic in Malaysia.

Mahadir Naidu, BalkishResearch and Methodology Unit, Department of Statistics Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia (author)
Virtanen, Suvi M.Unit of Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland;Health and Well-Being Promotion Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland;Centre for Child Health Research, Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland;The Science Centre of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland,LIVSSTIL (author)
Lehtinen-Jacks, SusannaMälardalens universitet,Hälsa och välfärd,Unit of Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland(Swepub:mdh)sls02 (author)
Abdul Maulud, Khairul NizamEarth Observation Centre, Institute of Climate Change, National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia;Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia (author)
Unit of Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, FinlandResearch and Methodology Unit, Department of Statistics Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia (creator_code:org_t)

In:Asia-Pacific journal of public health: Sage Publications35:1, s. 34-411010-53951941-2479

By the author/editor: Mohamad, Maria S ...; Mahadir Naidu, B ...; Virtanen, Suvi M ...; Lehtinen-Jacks, ...; Abdul Maulud, Kh ...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Health Sciences; and Public Health Gl ...

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