ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Mindful eating is being fully present in the moment of eating and it is critical in preventing poor eating habits. The main objective for this study was to determine the associations of body mass index (BMI) and physical activity level with mindful eating behaviour among undergraduate medical students of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 158 students (Years 1-5; 69% females and 31% males) by using a self-administered online questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic data, anthropometric data, short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). The associations between BMI and physical activity with MEQ were determined by Spearman’s Correlation and One-Way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis Test, respectively. Results: Majority of the students had normal BMI (66.4%, n=105), and 39.9% (n=63) had low physical activity levels. The mean MEQ summary score of the students was considered high (2.82±0.26). There was a significant negative association between MEQ summary score (r=-0.191; p=0.016) and disinhibition subscale score (r=-0.340; p<0.001) with BMI, whereby MEQ summary and disinhibition subscale scores increased as BMI decreased. However, there was no significant association between physical activity level with MEQ score (p>0.05). Conclusion: A student with positive mindful eating behaviour has the potential to lower his/her BMI. However, further research is required to verify this finding.
ABSTRACT
@#Body mass index (BMI) was one of the reasons people used weight loss products to lose weight. The purpose of this study is to look into the use of weight loss products and their relationship to BMI and associated factors. A cross-sectional study with convenient sampling was conducted on 133 students from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian (USMKK) Health Campus. Participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire that included sociodemographic information, self-reported weight and height for BMI, weight loss product use, weight loss product usage characteristics, body weight perception and satisfaction, and weight loss product perception. The majority of participants were female (78.2%), 80.5% were Malay, and the mean age was 22 ± 3.1 years old. Majority had a normal BMI (56.4%), whereas 16.5% were underweight, 18.8% were overweight, and 8.3% were obese. Nevertheless, only 10.5% of participants utilised weight loss products. It was discovered that the use of weight loss products is statistically associated with BMI, with a high proportion of users having an overweight or obese BMI (p=0.042). Those who reported using a weight loss product had a higher BMI [25.56 (IQR 6.6) kg/m2 ] than those who did not [21.35 (IQR 5.3) kg/m2 ] (p = 0.015). The use of weight loss products was also statistically associated with perceived product safety (p=0.041) and body weight dissatisfaction (p=0.011). Universities should therefore provide students with appropriate weight loss advice, up-todate information on the safety and efficacy of various weight loss products, and opportunities to enhance their knowledge, self-efficacy, and social support. For future research, it is suggested to wider the research population to overweight and obese adults in Kelantan.
ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Stress is a factor that may affect dietary behaviour among nurses, which can contribute to a risk of overweight or obesity in the future. The aim of this study was to determine the association between stress and eating behaviour among nurses at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed among 105 nurses (30-50 years of age; 84.8% females and 15.2% males) and participants were assessed using a selfadministered questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic data, body mass index (BMI), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), and the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the associations were determined by Kruskal-Wallis Test. Results: Based on descriptive data, 73.3% of nurses (n=77) were moderately stressed and 49.5% had normal BMI (n=52). Furthermore, according to three eating domains, the emotional eating score was the highest (30.0±16.0). An association was found between emotional eating [χ2(2)=10.305, p=0.006], while external eating [χ2(2)=5.103, p=0.078], and restrained eating [χ2(2)=2.335, p=0.311] did not display a significant difference. The Bonferroni test was further used and there was a significant difference between low and moderate stress levels only (p<0.01), while others were not significantly different (low-high and moderate-high) (p>0.05). The results showed that nurses in the low stress group had lower scores of emotional eating behaviour than nurses with moderate stress levels. Conclusion: Stress has an impact on emotional eating behaviour and more research is needed to fully understand this link.
