Chin Yit Siew, Lim Poh Ying, Appukutty Mahenderan, Md Yusop Nor Baizura, Loganathan Radhika, Selvaduray Kanga Rani, Chan Yoke Mun
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Strategic Health & Advanced Prevention for Excess Weight & Obesity (PUTRA-SHAPE), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, 43400, Malaysia.
Research Centre of Excellence on Nutrition and Non-communicable Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, 43400, Malaysia.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Sep 2;25(1):3020. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23699-9.
This study builds upon our previous MyNutriLifeCOVID-19 online survey conducted during Malaysia’s second national lockdown (MCO 2.0), by exploring a broader range of nutritional and lifestyle behaviours and their association with risks of underweight, overweight and obesity among Malaysian adults.
Cross-sectional study.
The MyNutriLifeCOVID-19 was a nationwide survey conducted in all five regions (Central Zone, Northern Zone, Southern Zone, East-coast Zone and East-Malaysia) in Malaysia.
A total of 1182 Malaysian adults participated in the online survey between March and May 2021.
Self-reported body weight status, nutritional and lifestyle behaviours, including dietary practices, physical activity, perceived stress, and sleep quality were ascertained using a validated questionnaire.
Approximately one-third of the Malaysian adults (36.8%) were either overweight or obese, with 8.63% underweight. Despite widespread intentions to manage weight, only 30% engaged in regular exercise. Poor sleep and unhealthy dietary behaviours, characterised by high sugar intake and low consumption of fruits and vegetables, were prevalent among the respondents. The hierarchical multinomial regression analysis revealed underweight was attributed to being single, experiencing high stress and insufficient exercise. Conversely, overweight and obesity were linked to being male, older, Malay ethnicity, lunch skipping, poor adherence to healthy eating concept, had disordered eating and frequent consumption of roasted foods.
The present study revealed significant weight-related challenges faced by Malaysians during the national lockdown. Despite efforts at weight management, insufficient physical activity, poor sleep quality, and unhealthy dietary behaviours persisted. These findings underscore the complex interplay of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors in shaping weight outcomes among Malaysian adults, emphasised the importance of addressing sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors in comprehensive public health strategies, as it highlighted multifaceted risk factors for both underweight and overweight/obesity. There is a need for targeted interventions addressing diverse risk profiles to promote healthier lifestyles and combat the growing burden of obesity-related health issues. The findings of this study offer crucial insights into the enduring consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on Malaysian health behaviours. As the world grapples with the increasing threat of communicable diseases, understanding the long-term impacts of such events on lifestyle and health outcomes is imperative. Our research underscores the need for comprehensive public health interventions that address not only the immediate health challenges but also the lasting psychological and behavioural effects of crises. By investing in resilient health systems and promoting healthy lifestyles, we can better prepare for future pandemics and mitigate their devastating consequences.
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-23699-9.
本研究基于我们之前在马来西亚第二次全国封锁（行动管制令2.0）期间进行的MyNutriLifeCOVID - 19在线调查，通过探索更广泛的营养和生活方式行为及其与马来西亚成年人体重过轻、超重和肥胖风险的关联。
横断面研究。
MyNutriLifeCOVID - 19是一项在马来西亚所有五个地区（中部地区、北部地区、南部地区、东海岸地区和东马来西亚）进行的全国性调查。
2021年3月至5月期间，共有1182名马来西亚成年人参与了该在线调查。
使用经过验证的问卷确定自我报告的体重状况、营养和生活方式行为，包括饮食习惯、身体活动、感知压力和睡眠质量。
约三分之一的马来西亚成年人（36.8%）超重或肥胖，8.63%体重过轻。尽管普遍有控制体重的意愿，但只有30%的人经常锻炼。受访者中普遍存在睡眠不佳和不健康的饮食行为，表现为高糖摄入以及水果和蔬菜消费量低。分层多项回归分析显示，体重过轻归因于单身、压力大以及运动不足。相反，超重和肥胖与男性、年龄较大、马来族裔、不吃午餐、对健康饮食概念的依从性差、饮食失调以及经常食用烤制食品有关。
本研究揭示了马来西亚人在全国封锁期间面临的与体重相关的重大挑战。尽管有控制体重的努力，但身体活动不足、睡眠质量差和不健康的饮食行为仍然存在。这些发现强调了社会人口学、生活方式和饮食因素在塑造马来西亚成年人体重结果方面的复杂相互作用，强调了在全面公共卫生策略中解决社会人口学、生活方式和饮食因素的重要性，因为它突出了体重过轻和超重/肥胖的多方面风险因素。需要针对不同风险状况进行有针对性的干预，以促进更健康的生活方式并应对肥胖相关健康问题日益加重的负担。本研究结果为COVID - 19大流行对马来西亚健康行为的持久影响提供了关键见解。随着世界应对传染病日益增加的威胁，了解此类事件对生活方式和健康结果的长期影响至关重要。我们的研究强调了全面公共卫生干预的必要性，这些干预不仅要应对直接的健康挑战，还要应对危机的持久心理和行为影响。通过投资有韧性的卫生系统和促进健康的生活方式，我们可以更好地为未来的大流行做好准备并减轻其毁灭性后果。
在线版本包含可在10.1186/s12889 - 025 - 23699 - 9获取的补充材料。
