ABSTRACT
Introduction: There is a lack of information on bone health status of premenopausal women in Malaysia. This study investigated the bone health status of premenopausal women and its associations with anthropometric, dietary and physical activity. Methods: Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip and total body. Serum osteocalcin, parathyroid hormone (PTH), beta-crosslaps were also determined. Results: A total of 73 Chinese premenopausal women were recruited in the study with a mean age of 39.3 � 5.0 years. Average BMI, body fat percentage and lean body mass were 22.2 � 3.4 kg/m2, 33.9 � 4.6% and 34.5 � 4.4 kg, respectively. Mean BMD at the spine, total hip, femoral neck, and total body were 1.025 � 0.118 g/cm2, 0.876 � 0.109 g/cm2, 0.739 � 0.110 g/cm2, and 1.061 � 0.755 g/cm2, respectively. Their serum beta-crosslaps and PTH were within normal range, but serum osteocalcin (8.5 � 4.2 ng/ml) was low. On average, calorie intake (1506 � 427 kcal/day) was below the Malaysian Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) while their calcium intake achieved only 67% of RNI. Their mean metabolic equivalent score (MET) was 771.4 � 926.1 mm/week. Body weight and related indices (BMI, lean mass, fat mass) were significantly positively correlated with BMD at all skeletal sites. Conclusion: The study revealed that Chinese premenopausal women in the Klang Valley have low calcium intake and low level of physical activity.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: A cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate accelerometerdetermined physical activity level of 233 Malay government employees (104 men, 129 women) working in the Federal Government Building Penang,Malaysia. Methods: Body weight, height, waist and hip circumference, body fat percentage and blood pressure were measured for each respondent. All the respondents were asked to wear an accelerometer for 3 days. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated using a standard formulas. Fasting blood sample was obtained to determine the lipid profile and glucose levels of the respondents. Results: Based on the accelerometer-determined physical activity level, almost 65% of the respondents were categorised as sedentary. Approximately 50.2% of the respondents were overweight or obese. There were negative but significant relationships between body mass index (BMI) (r=-0.353, p<0.05), body fat percentage (r=-0.394, p<0.05), waist circumference (WC) (r=-0.198, p<0.05) and physical activity level. Sedentary individuals had a higher risk than moderate to active individuals of having a BMI more than or equal to 25 kg/m2 (OR= 2.80, 95% CI 1.55-5.05), an-risk classified WC (OR= 1.79, 95% CI 1.01-3.20), and a body fat percentage classified as unhealthy (OR= 3.01, 95% CI 1.41-6.44). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that accelerometer-determined physical activity level is a significant factor associated with obesity in this study. The high prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity found among respondents of this study indicate a need for implementing intervention programmes among this population.