Browsing by Person "Young, Elizabeth H."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Anthropometric and cardiometabolic risk factors in parents and child obesity in Segamat, Malaysia
(Oxford University Press, 2017-06-29) Partap, Uttara; Young, Elizabeth H.; Allotey, Pascale; Sandhu, Manjinder S.; Reidpath, Daniel
Background There is little evidence regarding risk factors for child obesity in Asian populations, including the role of parental anthropometric and cardiometabolic risk factors. We examined the relation between parental risk factors and child obesity in a Malaysian population. Methods We used data from health and demographic surveillance conducted by the South East Asia Community Observatory in Segamat, Malaysia. Analyses included 9207 individuals (4806 children, 2570 mothers and 1831 fathers). Child obesity was defined based on the World Health Organization 2007 reference. We assessed the relation between parental anthropometric (overweight, obesity and central obesity) and cardiometabolic (systolic hypertension, diastolic hypertension and hyperglycaemia) risk factors and child obesity, using mixed effects Poisson regression models with robust standard errors. Results We found a high burden of overweight and obesity among children in this population (30% overweight or obese). Children of one or more obese parents had a 2-fold greater risk of being obese compared with children of non-obese parents. Sequential adjustment for parental and child characteristics did not materially affect estimates (fully adjusted relative risk for obesity in both parents: 2.39, 95% confidence interval: 1.82, 3.10, P < 0.001; P for trend < 0.001). These associations were not modified by parental or child sex. We found no consistent evidence for associations between parental cardiometabolic risk factors and child obesity. Conclusions Parental obesity was strongly associated with child obesity in this population. Further exploration of the behavioural and environmental drivers of these associations may help inform strategies addressing child obesity in Asia.
Characterisation and correlates of stunting among Malaysian children and adolescents aged 6–19 years
(Cambridge University Press, 2019-03-04) Partap, Uttara; Young, Elizabeth H.; Allotey, Pascale; Sandhu, Manjinder S.; Reidpath, Daniel
Background Despite emerging evidence regarding the reversibility of stunting at older ages, most stunting research continues to focus on children below 5 years of age. We aimed to assess stunting prevalence and examine the sociodemographic distribution of stunting risk among older children and adolescents in a Malaysian population. Methods We used cross-sectional data on 6759 children and adolescents aged 6–19 years living in Segamat, Malaysia. We compared prevalence estimates for stunting defined using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) references, using Cohen's κ coefficient. Associations between sociodemographic indices and stunting risk were examined using mixed-effects Poisson regression with robust standard errors. Results The classification of children and adolescents as stunted or normal height differed considerably between the two references (CDC v. WHO; κ for agreement: 0.73), but prevalence of stunting was high regardless of reference (crude prevalence: CDC 29.2%; WHO: 19.1%). Stunting risk was approximately 19% higher among underweight v. normal weight children and adolescents (p = 0.030) and 21% lower among overweight children and adolescents (p = 0.001), and decreased strongly with improved household drinking water sources [risk ratio (RR) for water piped into house: 0.35, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.30–0.41, p < 0.001). Protective effects were also observed for improved sanitation facilities (RR for flush toilet: 0.41, 95% CI 0.19–0.88, p = 0.023). Associations were not materially affected in multiple sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Our findings justify a framework for strategies addressing stunting across childhood, and highlight the need for consensus on a single definition of stunting in older children and adolescents to streamline monitoring efforts.
HDSS Profile: The South East Asia Community Observatory Health and Demographic Surveillance System (SEACO HDSS)
(Oxford University Press, 2017-07-26) Partap, Uttara; Young, Elizabeth H.; Allotey, Pascale; Soyiri, Ireneous N.; Jahan, Nowrozy; Komahan, Kridaraan; Devarajan, Nirmala; Sandhu, Manjinder S.; Reidpath, Daniel
The Use of Different International References to Assess Child Anthropometric Status in a Malaysian Population
(Elsevier, 2017-11) Partap, Uttara; Young, Elizabeth H.; Allotey, Pascale; Sandhu, Manjinder S.; Reidpath, Daniel
Objective To assess the prevalence of child underweight, overweight, and obesity in a Malaysian population according to 3 international references because classification of anthropometric status may differ according to the reference used to express body mass index (BMI). Study design We assessed data from 6414 children aged 6-18 years, collected by the South East Asia Community Observatory. Child underweight, overweight, and obesity were expressed according to 3 internationally used BMI references: World Health Organization 2007, International Obesity Task Force 2012, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2000. We assessed agreement in classification of anthropometric status among the references using Cohen's kappa statistic and estimated underweight, overweight, and obesity prevalence according to each reference using mixed effects Poisson regression. Results There was poor to moderate agreement between references when classifying underweight, but generally good agreement when classifying overweight and obesity. Underweight, overweight, and obesity prevalence estimates generated using the 3 references were notably inconsistent. Overweight and obesity prevalence estimates were higher using the World Health Organization reference vs the other 2, and underweight prevalence was up to 8.5% higher and obesity prevalence was about 4% lower when using the International Obesity Task Force reference. Conclusions The choice of reference to express BMI may influence conclusions about child anthropometric status and malnutrition prevalence. This has implications regarding strategies for clinical management and public health interventions.