Eating Habits of Malaysian Children: Findings of the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS)

This article aims to describe the eating habits of Malaysian children using a nationally representative data set from the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS) in Malaysia. A total of 2797 children aged 2 to 12 years were included in this analysis. Eating habits and dietary intakes of childre...

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Published inAsia-Pacific journal of public health Vol. 28; no. 5 Suppl; p. 59S
Main Authors Chong, Kar Hau, Wu, Suet Kei, Noor Hafizah, Yatiman, Bragt, Marjolijn C E, Poh, Bee Koon
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published China 01.07.2016
Subjects
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diet - psychology
Diet - statistics & numerical data
Energy Intake
Feeding Behavior
Female
Humans
Malaysia
Male
Nutrition Surveys
fast food intake
dietary intake
eating habits
children
meal patterns
snacking habits
breakfast
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Summary:This article aims to describe the eating habits of Malaysian children using a nationally representative data set from the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS) in Malaysia. A total of 2797 children aged 2 to 12 years were included in this analysis. Eating habits and dietary intakes of children were assessed using questionnaires. Overall, 56.1% of children consumed 3 main meals every day. Approximately 20% of children snacked 3 times per day, whereas 9.7% ate fast food on a weekly basis. Irregular meal patterns were significantly associated with lower micronutrient intakes, and the groups with higher odds for this pattern were older children, Malays, and those living in rural areas. Considering the relatively high rate of irregular meal consumption and its potential influence on dietary nutrient intake, persistent efforts must be continued to promote and inculcate healthy eating habits among children from an early age.
ISSN:1941-2479
DOI:10.1177/1010539516654260