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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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Asia-Pacific journal of public health 2016-07, Vol.28 (5), p.59S-73S
Main Authors: Chong, Kar Hau, Wu, Suet Kei, Hafizah, Yatiman Noor, Bragt, Marjolijn C. E., Poh, Bee Koon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diet - psychology
Diet - statistics & numerical data
Energy Intake
Feeding Behavior
Female
Humans
Malaysia
Male
Nutrition Surveys
SEANUTS
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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:1010-5395
1941-2479
DOI:10.1177/1010539516654260