Soy intake is associated with lower breast cancer risk in observational studies concerning Asian ... more Soy intake is associated with lower breast cancer risk in observational studies concerning Asian women, however, no randomized controlled trials (RCT) have been conducted among Asian women living in Asia. This three-armed RCT assessed the effects of one-year soy isoflavone (ISF) intervention on mammographic density (MD) change among healthy peri- and postmenopausal Malaysian women. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03686098). Participants were randomized into the 100 mg/day ISF Supplement, 50 mg/day ISF Diet, or control arm, and assessed for change in absolute and relative dense area from digital mammograms conducted at enrolment and after 12 months, compared over time across study arms using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Out of 118 women enrolled, 91 women completed the intervention, while 27 women (23%) were lost in follow up. The ISF supplement arm participants observed a larger decline in dense area (−1.3 cm2), compared to the ISF diet (−0.5 cm2) and control arm (−0.8 ...
Abstract: Introduction "Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, chil... more Abstract: Introduction "Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period" (WHO, 2010). The major direct causes of maternal morbidity and mortality include maternal and neonatal complications such as high blood pressure and preterm birth labor. Method: This study compared a new program of maternal health care that includes preconception care and lower number of prenatal care visits with an old program in Qazvin province of Iran. The research design was a cohort study. A total of 940 mothers who came to 16 active maternal health clinics of Alvand and Qazvin cities were recorded, and then screened for exclusion and inclusion criteria. Of the eligible 484 subjects, 450 pregnant mothers consented to participate in the study. These mothers were followed from 3 months before pregnancy to six weeks after delivery. Result: The results of the current study showed significant improvement in the new program in terms of impact on pre...
It is estimated that worldwide there are at least 300 million indigenous people living in more th... more It is estimated that worldwide there are at least 300 million indigenous people living in more than 70 countries on 5 continents. In Peninsular Malaysia the indigenous people known as Orang Asli (OA) in the Malay language or original people form the minority constituting less than 1% of the total population of the country. Despite continuous efforts by the government to integrate them into the mainstream economy the OA still live on the fringes of Malaysian society cut off from most social services; they are poorly educated and earn a meagre living. Described as the poorest of the poor the OA continue to have poor nutritional and health status (particularly the children) compared with other ethnic groups in Malaysia The World Declaration on the Survival Protection and Development of Children identified adequate maternal child care practices as important prerequisites to improved child nutrition. Care refers to the practices or behaviours performed by caregivers that affect nutrient intake health and the cognitive development of the child. Together with household food security a healthy environment and control of infections care is recognised at the policy level as a fundamental contributor to the nutritional well being of children. UNICEFs original conceptual model of child health identifies the role of care for the childs survival growth and development. In this model the immediate determinants of good nutrition and survival are adequate dietary intake and health. These are affected by underlying conditions which include household food security health services and care of women and children. Food health and care are in turn influenced by political ideological historical and economic structures. (excerpt)
Currently, data concerning the content of naturally occurring dietary folate in Malaysian foods i... more Currently, data concerning the content of naturally occurring dietary folate in Malaysian foods is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the folate content of vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals that were commonly consumed among Malaysians. The total folate content of 156 samples (51 vegetables, 33 fruits, 22 legumes and legume products, and 50 cereals and cereal products) available in Malaysia was determined by microbiological assay using Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) after trienzyme treatment with protease, α-amylase and folate conjugase (from rat serum). An internal quality control system was used throughout the study by analyzing CRM 121 (wholemeal flour) and CRM 485 (lyophilized mixed vegetables); percent recovery (as mean ± SD) of 97 ± 2.0 and 101 ± 4.0 was obtained. The range of folate content in vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals were 1-11 μg/100 g and 1-31on the basis of fresh weight and 1-31 μg/100 g and 2-156 μg/100 g on the basis of dry weight, respect...
Data on folate availability of Malaysian cooked foods would be useful for estimation of dietary f... more Data on folate availability of Malaysian cooked foods would be useful for estimation of dietary folate intake; however such information is scarce. A total of 53 samples of frequently consumed foods in Malaysia were selected from the Nutrient Composition of Malaysian Foods. Folate content was determined using HPLC method hyphenated with a stainless steel C18 column and ultraviolet detector (lambda = 280 nm). The index of folate availability was defined as the proportion of folate identified as monoglutamyl derivatives from the total folate content. Total folate content of different food samples varied from 30-95 microg/100g fresh weight. Among rice-based dishes, the highest and the lowest total folate was in coconut milk rice (nasi lemak) and ghee rice (nasi minyak), respectively. In noodle dishes, fried rice noodle (kuey teow goreng) and curry noodle (mee kari) had the highest folate contents. The highest index of folate availability was in a flat rice noodle dish (kuey teow bandung...
The types and prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors vary somewhat among the thr... more The types and prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors vary somewhat among the three main ethnic groups in peninsular Malaysia. Indians consistently show the highest prevalence for hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus. Among the Malays, a relatively high prevalence of hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia have been reported. Overweight is also a risk factor among the Indians and Malays. In general, Chinese tend to have a lower prevalence for these CHD risk factors than the Indians and Malays. Parallel to the rapid socio-economic development and urbanization in recent decades is a rise in the percentage of deaths due to cardiovascular disease in peninsular Malaysia, that is from 1.8% of total deaths from all causes in 1950 to about 30% in 1991. Coronary heart disease accounts for 40% of all cardiovascular diseases. The mortality rate for CHD has more than doubled between 1965 and 1991, from 24.6 per 100 000 to 57.2. While Indians have been showing the highest CHD...
Canadian journal of comparative medicine. Revue canadienne de médecine comparée, 1977
A safety evaluation of Aspergillus fumigatus I21, grown in a cassava carbohydrate and salts mediu... more A safety evaluation of Aspergillus fumigatus I21, grown in a cassava carbohydrate and salts medium, was undertaken. Male weanling rats were fed the fungus at 20, 30 and 40% of the diet for 90 days. A control group was given soybean oil meal as the sole source of protein. Weekly determinations of the body weights and feed consumptions were made. A few days prior to termination of the feeding study, a kidney function test was undertaken on the rats. At the end of the feeding period hematology, blood biochemistry, urine analyses and histopathology studies of various tissues were carried out, and organs were weighed. Rats fed A. fumigatus I21 gained less weight than the controls, but kidney weights were increased. Increases in serum alkaline phosphatase and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase were not related to dose level. The blood urea nitrogen was increased for the rats fed 40% of the fungus. Rats fed 30 and 40% of the fungus I21 showed a significant drop in albumin. Deficiency in met...
IntroductionWeekly iron–folic acid (IFA) supplements are recommended for all menstruating women i... more IntroductionWeekly iron–folic acid (IFA) supplements are recommended for all menstruating women in countries where anaemia prevalence is >20%. Anaemia caused by folate deficiency is low worldwide, and the need to include folic acid is in question. Including folic acid might reduce the risk of a neural tube defect (NTD) should a woman become pregnant. Most weekly supplements contain 0.4 mg folic acid; however, WHO recommends 2.8 mg because it is seven times the daily dose effective in reducing NTDs. There is a reluctance to switch to supplements containing 2.8 mg of folic acid because of a lack of evidence that this dose would prevent NTDs. Our aim was to investigate the effect of two doses of folic acid, compared with placebo, on red blood cell (RBC) folate, a biomarker of NTD risk.MethodsWe conducted a three-arm double-blind efficacy trial in Malaysia. Non-pregnant women (n=331) were randomised to receive 60 mg iron and either 0, 0.4, or 2.8 mg folic acid once weekly for 16 week...
To evaluate the association between preconception care and the risk of adverse birth outcomes. A ... more To evaluate the association between preconception care and the risk of adverse birth outcomes. A quasi-experimental study comparing 2 groups: (1) integrated maternal health care (MHC) program (with preconception care) and (2) standard MHC program (without preconception care). Maternal health-care clinics in Alvand and Qazvin cities in Qazvin Province, Iran. A total of 152 and 247 Iranian women aged 16 to 35 years were enrolled in the integrated MHC and standard MHC program, respectively. The birth outcomes measured included low birth weight, preterm birth, maternal and neonatal complications, and mode of delivery (normal vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery). Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of preconception care and risk of adverse birth outcomes with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) as effect sizes. One hundred forty-seven women in integrated MHC and 218 women in standard MHC completed this study. Preconception care was associated with reduced risk of...
The Malaysia-Japan Model on Technology Partnership, 2014
The Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI) of the International Medical Univer... more The Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI) of the International Medical University (IMU), Malaysia, was established on 18 September 2012, as part of the strategic plans of the university to realign its research direction. The Institute consists of two major arms, namely, the Research and Development Arm and Commercialisation and Support Arm. There are four Centres of Excellence (CoE) based on the identified thrust areas, namely the Centre for Environmental and Population Health, Centre for Bioactive Molecules and Drug Discovery, Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research and Centre for Health Professional Education Research. The CoE have developed strategies to excel in the thrust areas and to be more competitive in bidding for external funds. The CoE will tap into the diverse expertise of our researchers and develop strategic partnerships with local and foreign institutions. In parallel with this development, the Commercialisation and Support Arm has come up with strategies to promote commercialisation of our research products and services and to provide training and services to enhance the capability of our researchers. Through the establishment of IRDI, IMU aspires to bring research to a higher level.
ObjectiveTo determine the optimal cut-offs of BMI for Malaysian adults.DesignPopulation-based, cr... more ObjectiveTo determine the optimal cut-offs of BMI for Malaysian adults.DesignPopulation-based, cross-sectional study. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the cut-off values of BMI with optimum sensitivity and specificity for the detection of three cardiovascular risk factors: diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between BMI and these cardiovascular risk factors.SettingAll fourteen states in Malaysia.SubjectsMalaysian adults aged ≥18 years (n 32 703) who participated in the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2006.ResultsThe optimal BMI cut-off value for predicting the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or at least one of these cardiovascular risk factors varied from 23·3 to 24·1 kg/m2 for men and from 24·0 to 25·4 kg/m2 for women. In men and women, the odds ratio for having diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyper...
While vitamin D inadequacy occurs worldwide, there is a lack of consensus internationally on the ... more While vitamin D inadequacy occurs worldwide, there is a lack of consensus internationally on the optimum plasma levels of 25(OH)D to maximally suppress the level of parathyroid hormone toward reducing bone loss. This study aimed to investigate the response of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) to vitamin D3 supplementation among Malaysian women of reproductive age in a randomised double-blind placebo-control trial [NMRR-15-479-25680]. A total of 106 women who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to receive daily one of these three supplement doses (i) 600 IU vitamin D3 + 500 mg calcium; (ii) 1200 IU vitamin D3 + 500 mg calcium; or (iii) 4000 IU vitamin D3 + 500 mg calcium. The placebo group received daily 500 mg calcium. The outcome examined was change in plasma iPTH concentration in response to daily vitamin D3 supplementation for 16 weeks. Fasting blood sample was obtained at baseline and post-supplementation. A total of 78 subjects (73.6%) completed the in...
Gangliosides (GA) are found in animal tissues and fluids, such as blood and milk. These sialo-gly... more Gangliosides (GA) are found in animal tissues and fluids, such as blood and milk. These sialo-glycosphingolipids have bioactivities in neural development, gastrointestinal tract, and the immune system. In this study, a HPLC-MS method was validated to characterize and quantitate the GA in beef, chicken, pork, and fish species (turbot, snapper, king salmon, and island mackerel). For the first time, we report the concentration of GM 3 , the dominant GA in these foods, to range from 0.35 to 1.1 mg/100g and 0.70 to 5.86 mg/100g of meat and fish respectively. The minor GAs measured were GD 3 , GD 1a , GD 1b , and GT 1b. Molecular species distribution revealed that the GA contained long to very long chain acyl fatty acids attached to the ceramide moiety. Fish GA contained only N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) sialic acid while beef, chicken, and pork contained GD 1a/b species that incorporated both NeuAc and Nglycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc) and hydroxylated fatty acids
UNLABELLED A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in all states of Malaysia with ... more UNLABELLED A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in all states of Malaysia with the aim to determine the prevalence of obesity among Malaysians aged fifteen years and above and factors associated. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling design with proportional allocation was used. Trained interviewers using a standardized protocol obtained the weight and height measurements and other relevant information. Subjects with a body mass index >= 30 kg/m2 were labelled as obese. The results show that the overall national prevalence of obesity among Malaysians aged 15 years old and above was 11.7% (95% CI = 11.1 - 12.4%). The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in females (13.8%) as compared to 9.6% in males (p< 0.0001). Prevalence of obesity was highest amongst the Malays (13.6%) and Indians (13.5%) followed by the indigenous group of "Sarawak Bumiputra" (10.8%) and the Chinese (8.5%). The indigenous group of "Sabah Bumiputra" had the ...
Background: Gangliosides are a group of sialylglycosphingolipids, widely distributed in body tiss... more Background: Gangliosides are a group of sialylglycosphingolipids, widely distributed in body tissues, mainly as components of plasma membranes. They play crucial roles in neurodevelopment, gut maturation, and immune system. Dietary gangliosides have been shown to bring about benefits including cognition and immune support for breastfed infants. There is dearth of studies on dietary gangliosides intake or plasma ganglioside levels for toddlers. Given toddlers are still growing rapidly, a good understanding of ganglioside intake during this early childhood period is important for future dietary recommendations. The aim of this study was to provide information on dietary ganglioside intake in Malaysian toddlers and correlations with serum ganglioside levels. Methods: Toddlers who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited from the Federal Territory of Putrajaya and neighboring urban suburbs. Background characteristics and food intake using food frequency questionnaire were collected for the entire sample (n = 153). As for ganglioside correlation determination, a 2 day weighed food record was conducted on a subgroup who provided blood (n = 74). Ganglioside levels in the food and blood were determined using modern high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method. Results: The average dietary intake of total gangliosides for the Malaysian toddlers (aged 12-24.5 months) was 5.86 ± 0.56 mg/day. Growing up milks had a wide ganglioside concentration range (0.03 11.4 mg/100 g), and were the major contributor to dietary ganglioside intake (85%). The remaining dietary gangliosides were provided by other dairy products, meat, fish, bakery and biscuits. Serum levels varied from 5.05 μg/mL to 16.15 μg/mL. While no significant correlation was observed between dietary ganglioside intake from growing up milks and serum ganglioside levels in the toddlers, there was a significant but weak correlation between dietary ganglioside intake from dairy products (r = 0.241; p = 0.038) and meat (r = 0.294; p = 0.010) with serum ganglioside levels Conclusions: Gangliosides are a component of the Malaysian toddlers' diet (5.68 ± 0.56 mg/day), and were measured in their plasma at levels ranging from 5.05 to 16.15 μg/mL. Growing up milk contributed to 85% of the total dietary gangliosides intake, with remaining contributions from chicken meat and fish. More studies should be undertaken on the contributions of dietary gangliosides, including breast milk, in bringing about health benefits to young children.
Background: The hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy may have effects on weight, blood p... more Background: The hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy may have effects on weight, blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, and possibly metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine the association between parity and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women in Babol, Iran. Methods: A total number of 800 women, with the age range of 30 to 50, were selected through a systematic random sampling method and sampling propionate to size from Babol. The metabolic syndrome was diagnosed based on the criteria set by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) III. The individuals' socio-demographic characteristics, the number of live births, pregnancies, lifestyles, current physical activity, and dietary factors were assessed. Logistic regression was used to determine the independent association between parity and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Results: The data were obtained from 633 participants (79.1%). The women, who reported a history of gravidity or parity, had a mean score of 2.4 ± 1.0. One hundred and ten (110, 17.4%) women had less than two parities and 523(82.6%) had two or more parties. Women who developed metabolic syndrome were more likely to have a higher parity at the time of interview (p= 0.001). Women with ≥ 2 parity had significantly higher odds of metabolic syndrome (OR= 1.91, 95% CI= 1.08-3.37). In addition, logistic regression analyses were then performed to assess the association of parity with each component of the metabolic syndrome. The women with ≥ 2 parity were significantly more likely to have abdominal obesity (p= 0.010). Conclusion: Higher parity or gravidity was associated with higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women. Health policy makers should work with health providers to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged multipar women.
The present study is unique in the Malaysian context on two counts; first, it employs for the fir... more The present study is unique in the Malaysian context on two counts; first, it employs for the first time a functional group approach (groups based on occupational or economic activity) in the assessment of community nutritional status. Second, the study provides on a nationwide-sampling basis, information on total blood cholesterol (TC) levels in rural children (7.0-12.9 years; n = 1921) and adolescents (13.0-17.9 years; n = 753) which were hitherto unavailable. Total blood cholesterol measurements were performed on 7184 subjects ranging from 7 to 75-years-old (males = 3151; females = 4033) from households in 69 rural villages and seven estates in peninsular Malaysia, which were based on selected multistage random sampling according to the household's involvement in the following economic activities: rice farming, rubber smallholding, coconut smallholding, fishing and employment in estates. In all functional groups, TC values increased with age and there was a distinct gender effect, namely females had higher TC values than males throughout the age spectrum analyzed. Mean TC levels for children and adolescents were in the range 3.85-4.37 mmol/L, rising markedly during adulthood to an overall mean of 4.91 ± 1.13 mmol/L for men and 5.17 ± 1.11 mmol/L for women. In adults (³ 18.0 years), there was marked disparity in mean TC values among the functional groups; males and females from rice households had the lowest mean TC values (4.58 and 4.99 mmol/L, respectively). Individuals at 'high risk' (TC > 6.20 mmol/L) averaged 16.0% in women and 11.6% in men, with women from the fishing, rubber and coconut households particularly affected (17.1-21.1%). When compared to earlier rural TC data reported for closely similar rural communities in the peninsula, the present findings suggest a 'hypercholesterolemic shift' approximating 0.39 mmol/L (15 mg/dL) in the adult population; however, this was not apparent in the children and adolescents from these rural communities.
Soy intake is associated with lower breast cancer risk in observational studies concerning Asian ... more Soy intake is associated with lower breast cancer risk in observational studies concerning Asian women, however, no randomized controlled trials (RCT) have been conducted among Asian women living in Asia. This three-armed RCT assessed the effects of one-year soy isoflavone (ISF) intervention on mammographic density (MD) change among healthy peri- and postmenopausal Malaysian women. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03686098). Participants were randomized into the 100 mg/day ISF Supplement, 50 mg/day ISF Diet, or control arm, and assessed for change in absolute and relative dense area from digital mammograms conducted at enrolment and after 12 months, compared over time across study arms using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Out of 118 women enrolled, 91 women completed the intervention, while 27 women (23%) were lost in follow up. The ISF supplement arm participants observed a larger decline in dense area (−1.3 cm2), compared to the ISF diet (−0.5 cm2) and control arm (−0.8 ...
Abstract: Introduction "Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, chil... more Abstract: Introduction "Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period" (WHO, 2010). The major direct causes of maternal morbidity and mortality include maternal and neonatal complications such as high blood pressure and preterm birth labor. Method: This study compared a new program of maternal health care that includes preconception care and lower number of prenatal care visits with an old program in Qazvin province of Iran. The research design was a cohort study. A total of 940 mothers who came to 16 active maternal health clinics of Alvand and Qazvin cities were recorded, and then screened for exclusion and inclusion criteria. Of the eligible 484 subjects, 450 pregnant mothers consented to participate in the study. These mothers were followed from 3 months before pregnancy to six weeks after delivery. Result: The results of the current study showed significant improvement in the new program in terms of impact on pre...
It is estimated that worldwide there are at least 300 million indigenous people living in more th... more It is estimated that worldwide there are at least 300 million indigenous people living in more than 70 countries on 5 continents. In Peninsular Malaysia the indigenous people known as Orang Asli (OA) in the Malay language or original people form the minority constituting less than 1% of the total population of the country. Despite continuous efforts by the government to integrate them into the mainstream economy the OA still live on the fringes of Malaysian society cut off from most social services; they are poorly educated and earn a meagre living. Described as the poorest of the poor the OA continue to have poor nutritional and health status (particularly the children) compared with other ethnic groups in Malaysia The World Declaration on the Survival Protection and Development of Children identified adequate maternal child care practices as important prerequisites to improved child nutrition. Care refers to the practices or behaviours performed by caregivers that affect nutrient intake health and the cognitive development of the child. Together with household food security a healthy environment and control of infections care is recognised at the policy level as a fundamental contributor to the nutritional well being of children. UNICEFs original conceptual model of child health identifies the role of care for the childs survival growth and development. In this model the immediate determinants of good nutrition and survival are adequate dietary intake and health. These are affected by underlying conditions which include household food security health services and care of women and children. Food health and care are in turn influenced by political ideological historical and economic structures. (excerpt)
Currently, data concerning the content of naturally occurring dietary folate in Malaysian foods i... more Currently, data concerning the content of naturally occurring dietary folate in Malaysian foods is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the folate content of vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals that were commonly consumed among Malaysians. The total folate content of 156 samples (51 vegetables, 33 fruits, 22 legumes and legume products, and 50 cereals and cereal products) available in Malaysia was determined by microbiological assay using Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) after trienzyme treatment with protease, α-amylase and folate conjugase (from rat serum). An internal quality control system was used throughout the study by analyzing CRM 121 (wholemeal flour) and CRM 485 (lyophilized mixed vegetables); percent recovery (as mean ± SD) of 97 ± 2.0 and 101 ± 4.0 was obtained. The range of folate content in vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals were 1-11 μg/100 g and 1-31on the basis of fresh weight and 1-31 μg/100 g and 2-156 μg/100 g on the basis of dry weight, respect...
Data on folate availability of Malaysian cooked foods would be useful for estimation of dietary f... more Data on folate availability of Malaysian cooked foods would be useful for estimation of dietary folate intake; however such information is scarce. A total of 53 samples of frequently consumed foods in Malaysia were selected from the Nutrient Composition of Malaysian Foods. Folate content was determined using HPLC method hyphenated with a stainless steel C18 column and ultraviolet detector (lambda = 280 nm). The index of folate availability was defined as the proportion of folate identified as monoglutamyl derivatives from the total folate content. Total folate content of different food samples varied from 30-95 microg/100g fresh weight. Among rice-based dishes, the highest and the lowest total folate was in coconut milk rice (nasi lemak) and ghee rice (nasi minyak), respectively. In noodle dishes, fried rice noodle (kuey teow goreng) and curry noodle (mee kari) had the highest folate contents. The highest index of folate availability was in a flat rice noodle dish (kuey teow bandung...
The types and prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors vary somewhat among the thr... more The types and prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors vary somewhat among the three main ethnic groups in peninsular Malaysia. Indians consistently show the highest prevalence for hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus. Among the Malays, a relatively high prevalence of hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia have been reported. Overweight is also a risk factor among the Indians and Malays. In general, Chinese tend to have a lower prevalence for these CHD risk factors than the Indians and Malays. Parallel to the rapid socio-economic development and urbanization in recent decades is a rise in the percentage of deaths due to cardiovascular disease in peninsular Malaysia, that is from 1.8% of total deaths from all causes in 1950 to about 30% in 1991. Coronary heart disease accounts for 40% of all cardiovascular diseases. The mortality rate for CHD has more than doubled between 1965 and 1991, from 24.6 per 100 000 to 57.2. While Indians have been showing the highest CHD...
Canadian journal of comparative medicine. Revue canadienne de médecine comparée, 1977
A safety evaluation of Aspergillus fumigatus I21, grown in a cassava carbohydrate and salts mediu... more A safety evaluation of Aspergillus fumigatus I21, grown in a cassava carbohydrate and salts medium, was undertaken. Male weanling rats were fed the fungus at 20, 30 and 40% of the diet for 90 days. A control group was given soybean oil meal as the sole source of protein. Weekly determinations of the body weights and feed consumptions were made. A few days prior to termination of the feeding study, a kidney function test was undertaken on the rats. At the end of the feeding period hematology, blood biochemistry, urine analyses and histopathology studies of various tissues were carried out, and organs were weighed. Rats fed A. fumigatus I21 gained less weight than the controls, but kidney weights were increased. Increases in serum alkaline phosphatase and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase were not related to dose level. The blood urea nitrogen was increased for the rats fed 40% of the fungus. Rats fed 30 and 40% of the fungus I21 showed a significant drop in albumin. Deficiency in met...
IntroductionWeekly iron–folic acid (IFA) supplements are recommended for all menstruating women i... more IntroductionWeekly iron–folic acid (IFA) supplements are recommended for all menstruating women in countries where anaemia prevalence is >20%. Anaemia caused by folate deficiency is low worldwide, and the need to include folic acid is in question. Including folic acid might reduce the risk of a neural tube defect (NTD) should a woman become pregnant. Most weekly supplements contain 0.4 mg folic acid; however, WHO recommends 2.8 mg because it is seven times the daily dose effective in reducing NTDs. There is a reluctance to switch to supplements containing 2.8 mg of folic acid because of a lack of evidence that this dose would prevent NTDs. Our aim was to investigate the effect of two doses of folic acid, compared with placebo, on red blood cell (RBC) folate, a biomarker of NTD risk.MethodsWe conducted a three-arm double-blind efficacy trial in Malaysia. Non-pregnant women (n=331) were randomised to receive 60 mg iron and either 0, 0.4, or 2.8 mg folic acid once weekly for 16 week...
To evaluate the association between preconception care and the risk of adverse birth outcomes. A ... more To evaluate the association between preconception care and the risk of adverse birth outcomes. A quasi-experimental study comparing 2 groups: (1) integrated maternal health care (MHC) program (with preconception care) and (2) standard MHC program (without preconception care). Maternal health-care clinics in Alvand and Qazvin cities in Qazvin Province, Iran. A total of 152 and 247 Iranian women aged 16 to 35 years were enrolled in the integrated MHC and standard MHC program, respectively. The birth outcomes measured included low birth weight, preterm birth, maternal and neonatal complications, and mode of delivery (normal vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery). Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of preconception care and risk of adverse birth outcomes with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) as effect sizes. One hundred forty-seven women in integrated MHC and 218 women in standard MHC completed this study. Preconception care was associated with reduced risk of...
The Malaysia-Japan Model on Technology Partnership, 2014
The Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI) of the International Medical Univer... more The Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI) of the International Medical University (IMU), Malaysia, was established on 18 September 2012, as part of the strategic plans of the university to realign its research direction. The Institute consists of two major arms, namely, the Research and Development Arm and Commercialisation and Support Arm. There are four Centres of Excellence (CoE) based on the identified thrust areas, namely the Centre for Environmental and Population Health, Centre for Bioactive Molecules and Drug Discovery, Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research and Centre for Health Professional Education Research. The CoE have developed strategies to excel in the thrust areas and to be more competitive in bidding for external funds. The CoE will tap into the diverse expertise of our researchers and develop strategic partnerships with local and foreign institutions. In parallel with this development, the Commercialisation and Support Arm has come up with strategies to promote commercialisation of our research products and services and to provide training and services to enhance the capability of our researchers. Through the establishment of IRDI, IMU aspires to bring research to a higher level.
ObjectiveTo determine the optimal cut-offs of BMI for Malaysian adults.DesignPopulation-based, cr... more ObjectiveTo determine the optimal cut-offs of BMI for Malaysian adults.DesignPopulation-based, cross-sectional study. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the cut-off values of BMI with optimum sensitivity and specificity for the detection of three cardiovascular risk factors: diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between BMI and these cardiovascular risk factors.SettingAll fourteen states in Malaysia.SubjectsMalaysian adults aged ≥18 years (n 32 703) who participated in the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2006.ResultsThe optimal BMI cut-off value for predicting the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or at least one of these cardiovascular risk factors varied from 23·3 to 24·1 kg/m2 for men and from 24·0 to 25·4 kg/m2 for women. In men and women, the odds ratio for having diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyper...
While vitamin D inadequacy occurs worldwide, there is a lack of consensus internationally on the ... more While vitamin D inadequacy occurs worldwide, there is a lack of consensus internationally on the optimum plasma levels of 25(OH)D to maximally suppress the level of parathyroid hormone toward reducing bone loss. This study aimed to investigate the response of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) to vitamin D3 supplementation among Malaysian women of reproductive age in a randomised double-blind placebo-control trial [NMRR-15-479-25680]. A total of 106 women who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to receive daily one of these three supplement doses (i) 600 IU vitamin D3 + 500 mg calcium; (ii) 1200 IU vitamin D3 + 500 mg calcium; or (iii) 4000 IU vitamin D3 + 500 mg calcium. The placebo group received daily 500 mg calcium. The outcome examined was change in plasma iPTH concentration in response to daily vitamin D3 supplementation for 16 weeks. Fasting blood sample was obtained at baseline and post-supplementation. A total of 78 subjects (73.6%) completed the in...
Gangliosides (GA) are found in animal tissues and fluids, such as blood and milk. These sialo-gly... more Gangliosides (GA) are found in animal tissues and fluids, such as blood and milk. These sialo-glycosphingolipids have bioactivities in neural development, gastrointestinal tract, and the immune system. In this study, a HPLC-MS method was validated to characterize and quantitate the GA in beef, chicken, pork, and fish species (turbot, snapper, king salmon, and island mackerel). For the first time, we report the concentration of GM 3 , the dominant GA in these foods, to range from 0.35 to 1.1 mg/100g and 0.70 to 5.86 mg/100g of meat and fish respectively. The minor GAs measured were GD 3 , GD 1a , GD 1b , and GT 1b. Molecular species distribution revealed that the GA contained long to very long chain acyl fatty acids attached to the ceramide moiety. Fish GA contained only N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) sialic acid while beef, chicken, and pork contained GD 1a/b species that incorporated both NeuAc and Nglycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc) and hydroxylated fatty acids
UNLABELLED A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in all states of Malaysia with ... more UNLABELLED A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in all states of Malaysia with the aim to determine the prevalence of obesity among Malaysians aged fifteen years and above and factors associated. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling design with proportional allocation was used. Trained interviewers using a standardized protocol obtained the weight and height measurements and other relevant information. Subjects with a body mass index >= 30 kg/m2 were labelled as obese. The results show that the overall national prevalence of obesity among Malaysians aged 15 years old and above was 11.7% (95% CI = 11.1 - 12.4%). The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in females (13.8%) as compared to 9.6% in males (p< 0.0001). Prevalence of obesity was highest amongst the Malays (13.6%) and Indians (13.5%) followed by the indigenous group of "Sarawak Bumiputra" (10.8%) and the Chinese (8.5%). The indigenous group of "Sabah Bumiputra" had the ...
Background: Gangliosides are a group of sialylglycosphingolipids, widely distributed in body tiss... more Background: Gangliosides are a group of sialylglycosphingolipids, widely distributed in body tissues, mainly as components of plasma membranes. They play crucial roles in neurodevelopment, gut maturation, and immune system. Dietary gangliosides have been shown to bring about benefits including cognition and immune support for breastfed infants. There is dearth of studies on dietary gangliosides intake or plasma ganglioside levels for toddlers. Given toddlers are still growing rapidly, a good understanding of ganglioside intake during this early childhood period is important for future dietary recommendations. The aim of this study was to provide information on dietary ganglioside intake in Malaysian toddlers and correlations with serum ganglioside levels. Methods: Toddlers who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited from the Federal Territory of Putrajaya and neighboring urban suburbs. Background characteristics and food intake using food frequency questionnaire were collected for the entire sample (n = 153). As for ganglioside correlation determination, a 2 day weighed food record was conducted on a subgroup who provided blood (n = 74). Ganglioside levels in the food and blood were determined using modern high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method. Results: The average dietary intake of total gangliosides for the Malaysian toddlers (aged 12-24.5 months) was 5.86 ± 0.56 mg/day. Growing up milks had a wide ganglioside concentration range (0.03 11.4 mg/100 g), and were the major contributor to dietary ganglioside intake (85%). The remaining dietary gangliosides were provided by other dairy products, meat, fish, bakery and biscuits. Serum levels varied from 5.05 μg/mL to 16.15 μg/mL. While no significant correlation was observed between dietary ganglioside intake from growing up milks and serum ganglioside levels in the toddlers, there was a significant but weak correlation between dietary ganglioside intake from dairy products (r = 0.241; p = 0.038) and meat (r = 0.294; p = 0.010) with serum ganglioside levels Conclusions: Gangliosides are a component of the Malaysian toddlers' diet (5.68 ± 0.56 mg/day), and were measured in their plasma at levels ranging from 5.05 to 16.15 μg/mL. Growing up milk contributed to 85% of the total dietary gangliosides intake, with remaining contributions from chicken meat and fish. More studies should be undertaken on the contributions of dietary gangliosides, including breast milk, in bringing about health benefits to young children.
Background: The hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy may have effects on weight, blood p... more Background: The hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy may have effects on weight, blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, and possibly metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine the association between parity and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women in Babol, Iran. Methods: A total number of 800 women, with the age range of 30 to 50, were selected through a systematic random sampling method and sampling propionate to size from Babol. The metabolic syndrome was diagnosed based on the criteria set by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) III. The individuals' socio-demographic characteristics, the number of live births, pregnancies, lifestyles, current physical activity, and dietary factors were assessed. Logistic regression was used to determine the independent association between parity and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Results: The data were obtained from 633 participants (79.1%). The women, who reported a history of gravidity or parity, had a mean score of 2.4 ± 1.0. One hundred and ten (110, 17.4%) women had less than two parities and 523(82.6%) had two or more parties. Women who developed metabolic syndrome were more likely to have a higher parity at the time of interview (p= 0.001). Women with ≥ 2 parity had significantly higher odds of metabolic syndrome (OR= 1.91, 95% CI= 1.08-3.37). In addition, logistic regression analyses were then performed to assess the association of parity with each component of the metabolic syndrome. The women with ≥ 2 parity were significantly more likely to have abdominal obesity (p= 0.010). Conclusion: Higher parity or gravidity was associated with higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women. Health policy makers should work with health providers to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged multipar women.
The present study is unique in the Malaysian context on two counts; first, it employs for the fir... more The present study is unique in the Malaysian context on two counts; first, it employs for the first time a functional group approach (groups based on occupational or economic activity) in the assessment of community nutritional status. Second, the study provides on a nationwide-sampling basis, information on total blood cholesterol (TC) levels in rural children (7.0-12.9 years; n = 1921) and adolescents (13.0-17.9 years; n = 753) which were hitherto unavailable. Total blood cholesterol measurements were performed on 7184 subjects ranging from 7 to 75-years-old (males = 3151; females = 4033) from households in 69 rural villages and seven estates in peninsular Malaysia, which were based on selected multistage random sampling according to the household's involvement in the following economic activities: rice farming, rubber smallholding, coconut smallholding, fishing and employment in estates. In all functional groups, TC values increased with age and there was a distinct gender effect, namely females had higher TC values than males throughout the age spectrum analyzed. Mean TC levels for children and adolescents were in the range 3.85-4.37 mmol/L, rising markedly during adulthood to an overall mean of 4.91 ± 1.13 mmol/L for men and 5.17 ± 1.11 mmol/L for women. In adults (³ 18.0 years), there was marked disparity in mean TC values among the functional groups; males and females from rice households had the lowest mean TC values (4.58 and 4.99 mmol/L, respectively). Individuals at 'high risk' (TC > 6.20 mmol/L) averaged 16.0% in women and 11.6% in men, with women from the fishing, rubber and coconut households particularly affected (17.1-21.1%). When compared to earlier rural TC data reported for closely similar rural communities in the peninsula, the present findings suggest a 'hypercholesterolemic shift' approximating 0.39 mmol/L (15 mg/dL) in the adult population; however, this was not apparent in the children and adolescents from these rural communities.
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Papers by Geok Lin Khor