Suboptimal gestational weight gain has been associated with adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes, including increased risk of non-communicable diseases later in life. This study aimed to determine the proportion and determinants of suboptimal GWG. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 475 pregnant women in Selangor between January and March 2020. The study included all pregnant women at their second or third trimester who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A multistage sampling was applied. The GWG adequacy was based on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (2009). Multinomial logistic regressions were used for data analysis. Out of the 475 respondents, 224 (47.2%) pregnant women had inadequate GWG, 142 (29.9%) had adequate GWG, and 109 (22.9%) had excessive GWG. Multinomial logistic regression showed that having diabetes in pregnancy (AdjOR 2.24, 95% CI: 1.31, 3.83, p = 0.003), middle (M40) monthly household income (AdjOR 2.33, 95% CI: 1.09, 4.96, p = 0.029), low (B40) monthly household income (AdjOR 2.22, 95% CI: 1.07, 4.72, p = 0.039), and an obese pre-pregnancy BMI (AdjOR 2.77, 95% CI: 1.43, 5.35, p = 0.002) were significantly associated with inadequate GWG. Overweight (AdjOR 5.18, 95% CI: 2.52, 10.62, p < 0.001) and obese pre-pregnancy BMIs (AdjOR 17.95, 95% CI: 8.13, 36.95, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with excessive GWG. Improving maternal and perinatal outcomes requires targeted interventions focusing on these modifiable determinants.

Background: Men’s health in Malaysia is slowly gaining more attention, but minimal research has examined how Malaysian men behave and seek treatment. While few studies have investigated men’s treatment-seeking behavior (TSB), those that have been conducted seem to be inconclusive and tend to yield contradictory findings. Objectives: This paper aims to determine the proportion of inappropriate TSB and to explore in-depth treatment-seeking behavior among male civil servants in northeastern Malaysia. Methods: This paper adopted a mixed-methods approach, specifically a concurrent parallel study design. A quantitative study using a self-administered questionnaire was performed to identify the proportion of appropriate and inappropriate TSB among male civil servants in northeastern Malaysia. Concurrently, a qualitative study was conducted involving six focus group discussion sessions, and the results of both parts were integrated to provide a detailed explanation of TSB among the participants. Results: A total of 381 participants were involved in the quantitative study, yielding a response rate of 94.8%; 246 (64.6%) engaged in inappropriate TSB. Some of the reported morbidities among the participants were hypertension (26.5%) and diabetes mellitus (26.2%). From the qualitative study, a main theme related to TSB emerged with several sub-themes, which were health literacy, stage of seeking treatment, preference for alternative treatment, perceived threat of illness, self-treatment, and the influence of family members and others. Conclusions: TSB among male civil servants in northeastern Malaysia is poor, and the factors contributing to it are multidimensional. This study has provided new valuable evidence on men’s TSB in northeastern Malaysia. The findings can be used to facilitate and improve current policies and the implementation of men’s health services throughout the country.

Along with the increasing overweight and obesity trends among adults and children globally, numerous studies have suggested a strong association between maternal overweight and obesity among their offspring. We sought to report the prevalence and associated factors of intergenerational overweight and obesity among mother–child pairs in Malaysia from 2006 to 2015. Data were analysed from three waves of the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey, a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in 2006, 2011 and 2015. A mother and the youngest child from each household formed ‘mother–child pairs’ and were grouped according to their body mass index categories. A multivariable logistic regression model was performed to determine the factors associated with overweight mother/overweight child pairs (OWM/OWC), with normal weight mother/normal weight child pairs (NWM/NWC) as the reference group. The prevalence of OWM/OWC increased from 15.3% to 21.7%, while the prevalence of NWM/NWC decreased from 28.4% to 23.8% between 2006 and 2015. Older maternal age and having primary and secondary education levels were positively associated with OWM/OWC. Conversely, older child age, Chinese ethnicity, large household size and low-income households were inversely associated with OWM/OWC. In conclusion, intergenerational weight gain is a worrisome trend in Malaysia. These findings may help in guiding priority setting for obesity prevention strategies in Malaysia.

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) is a construct that describes the functional ability to perform complex activities, requiring physical and mental capability that allows an elderly to live independently. Studies on IADL in Malaysia are still lacking. Thus, this study aimed to determine the factors influencing IADL disability among the elderly attending health clinics in Kelantan. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a guided questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic characteristics, health-related conditions, Lawton IADL scale, Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Duke Social Support Index (DSSI). Multiple logistic regression (MLR) was performed to assess factors influencing IADL disability. Disabled IADL status was defined as having difficulty performing at least one out of eight activities on the Lawton IADL scale. A sample of 248 elderly from 12 health clinics in Kelantan was included, 36.3% of them had disabled IADL status. In the final MLR model, factors influencing IADL disability were, age group 70 years old and above (Adj. OR 3.52; 95% CI: 1.85, 6.69, p-value<0.001), being unmarried/single (Adj. OR 2.37; 95% CI:1.25, 4.49, p-value=0.008), no formal education (Adj. OR 4.03; 95% CI: 1.64, 9.88, p-value=0.002), low level of income (Adj. OR 2.37; 95% CI: 1.11, 5.07, p-value=0.026) and those who reported fair or poor self-rated health status (Adj. OR 2.53; 95% CI: 1.31, 4.89, p-value=0.006). Therefore, recognition of these factors is critical to promote a better health policy and to provide appropriate care for the elderly in the country.

Background/Objectives: Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a critical determinant of pregnancy outcomes; however, studies on factors contributing to suboptimal GWG in developing countries, including Malaysia, remain limited. Methods: This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, with the quantitative phase conducted between January and March 2020, followed by the qualitative phase from July 2020 to March 2021 in Selangor. The qualitative phase aimed to explain the factors influencing suboptimal (inadequate and excessive) GWG identified in the quantitative phase. Inclusion criteria included Malaysian women aged 18 and above who had suboptimal GWG (either inadequate or excessive) from the quantitative phase. Exclusion criteria included women who refused participation. Of the 475 participants from the quantitative phase, 20 with suboptimal GWG were purposively selected for in-depth telephone interviews using a semi-structured interview protocol. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Three key themes emerged: (1) the impact of pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity, shaped by unhealthy lifestyles, social influences, and limited access to nutritious food and physical activity; (2) the management of diabetes during pregnancy, contributing to inadequate GWG due to psychological responses, restrictive behaviours, and barriers to dietary guidance; and (3) financial constraints in middle- and low-income households, leading to income vulnerability, financial crises, and food insecurity. Conclusions: This finding highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to optimize GWG, emphasizing pre-pregnancy health optimization, enhanced diabetes management, and strategies to mitigate financial constraints and food insecurity among pregnant women.

This study aimed to measure the proportion of adverse birth outcomes among all births and maternal factors associated with low birth weight among Indigenous (Orang Asli) infants in Kelantan, Malaysia. Proportionate stratified random sampling was done to select 327 samples from five antenatal centres involved with Orang Asli in Kelantan. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine maternal factors associated with low birth weight among Orang Asli infants. The proportion of low birth weight was measured at 16.2% (substantially exceeding the national rate), preterm birth at 7.3%, stillbirth at 0.6%, early neonatal death at 0.6%, and macrosomia at 0.9%,. Maternal factors associated with low birth weight infants include primiparity (AdjOR: 2.88; 95% CI: 1.44,5.78), anaemia in pregnancy (AdjOR: 2.33; 95%CI: 1.18,4.61) and hypertension (AdjOR: 4.21; 95%CI: 1.23,14.44). In conclusion, far-reaching antenatal services and nutrition policy are essential to reduce the proportions of low birth weight among Orang Asli.