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Mohammadi S, Su TT, Papadaki A, Jalaludin MY, Dahlui M, Mohamed MNA, Jago R, Toumpakari Z, Johnson L, Majid HA. Perceptions of eating practices and physical activity among Malaysian adolescents in secondary schools: a qualitative study with multi-stakeholders. Public Health Nutr 2021; 24:2273-2285. [PMID: 32744217 PMCID: PMC10195509 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980020002293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To conduct formative research using qualitative methods among stakeholders of secondary schools to explore their perceptions, barriers and facilitators related to healthy eating and physical activity (PA) among Malaysian adolescents. DESIGN A qualitative study involving eight focus groups and twelve in-depth interviews. Focus groups and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data. SETTING Four secondary schools in Perak and Selangor states (two urban and two rural schools) in Malaysia. PARTICIPANTS Focus groups were conducted with seventy-six adolescents aged 13-14 years, and in-depth interviews were conducted with four headmasters, four PA education teachers and four food canteen operators. RESULTS Stakeholders thought that adolescents' misperceptions, limited availability of healthy options, unhealthy food preferences and affordability were important challenges preventing healthy eating at school. Low-quality physical education (PE) classes, limited adolescent participation and teachers' commitment during lessons were perceived as barriers to adolescents being active at school. Affordability was the main challenge for adolescents from rural schools. Stakeholders perceived that a future school-based intervention should improve the availability and subsidies for healthy foods, provide health education/training for both adolescents and PE teachers, enhance active adolescent participation in PE and develop social support mechanisms to facilitate engagement with PA. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide important insights into developing school-based lifestyle interventions to improve healthy eating and strengthening PA of Malaysian adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shooka Mohammadi
- Centre for Population Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur50603, Malaysia
| | - Tin Tin Su
- Centre for Population Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur50603, Malaysia
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway47500, Malaysia
| | - Angeliki Papadaki
- Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TZ, UK
| | - Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur50603, Malaysia
| | - Maznah Dahlui
- Centre for Population Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur50603, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Nahar Azmi Mohamed
- Department of Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur50603, Malaysia
| | - Russell Jago
- Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TZ, UK
| | - Zoi Toumpakari
- Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TZ, UK
| | - Laura Johnson
- Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TZ, UK
| | - Hazreen Abdul Majid
- Centre for Population Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur50603, Malaysia
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Jawa Timur60115, Indonesia
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