Is fast-food consumption a problem among adolescents in Malaysia? An analysis of the National School-Based Nutrition Survey, 2012

• Published in: Journal of health, population and nutrition Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 1 - 31
• Main Authors: Man, Cheong Siew, Hock, Lim Kuang, Ying, Chan Ying, Cheong, Kee Chee, Kuay, Lim Kuang, Huey, Teh Chien, Baharudin, Azli, Aziz, Nur Shahida Abdul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 16.07.2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescents; Adults; Age; Body mass; Body mass index; Body size; Caregivers; Cereals; China; Chronic diseases; Chronic illnesses; Data analysis; Diet; Dietary habit; Eating; Eggs; Ethnicity; Fast food; Fast food industry; Fast-food intake; Food; Food consumption; Food groups; Food habits; Food intake; Grain; Habits; Health risks; Health surveys; Healthy food; Healthy food choices; Information management; Locality; Malaysia; Meat; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Minority & ethnic groups; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Nutrition surveys; Overweight; Policy making; Polls & surveys; Population studies; Poultry; Questionnaires; Random sampling; Response rates; Sampling methods; Schooling adolescents; Schools; Sex; Sociodemographics; Statistical sampling; Students; Surveys; Takeaway food; Teenagers; Vegetables; Youth; China; Malaysia
• ISSN: 2072-1315; 1606-0997; 2072-1315
• DOI: 10.1186/s41043-021-00254-x

Background Fast-food consumption is an unhealthy dietary behaviour because it increases the risk of diet-related chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate factors associated with fast-food consumption, namely sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index-for-age, meal away from home habit, and intake of various food groups among adolescents in Malaysia. Methods We analysed data from the National School-Based Nutrition Survey (NSNS). The NSNS was a nationwide, cross-sectional survey. Multiple-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was applied to obtain a representative sample of adolescents' population. This study recruited adolescents aged 10-18 years who were attending schools. Pre-tested self-administered questionnaires in Malay language were used to obtain relevant information. Frequency of fast-food consumption per week was classified into three groups: "consumed fast-food four to seven days", "consumed fast-food one to three days", and "did not consume fast-food". Intake of food groups was assessed by self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Descriptive and complex sample multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed in data analysis. Results A total of 26,383 from 40,012 selected adolescents completed all the relevant questions for this study. Of those surveyed, 13.5% of the respondents consumed fast-food 4 to 7 days, 69.3% of the respondents consumed fast food 1 to 3 days, and 17.2% of them did not consume fast-food in a typical week. Frequency of fast-food consumptions (4 to 7 days and 1 to 3 days per week) was significantly associated with age; sex; ethnicity; locality of schools; frequency of eating out; and not consuming recommended intake of cereals or grains, vegetables, and meat or poultry or eggs. Conclusion In conclusion, age; sex; ethnicity; locality of schools; frequency of eating out per week; imbalanced intake of cereals or grains, meat, or poultry or eggs; and inadequate vegetable intake were significantly associated with fast-food consumption among adolescents in Malaysia. The findings of this study will be useful for policy makers in promoting healthy food choices among adolescents in Malaysia. Keywords: Fast-food intake, Schooling adolescents, Healthy food choices, Dietary habit