Background Low birth weight prevalence in Malaysia remains high. Socioeconomic background may lead to differences in physical activity and maternal nutritional status, which may play an important role in birth outcomes. Methods This prospective cross-sectional study aimed to identify rural-urban differences in risk factors for low birth weight among women in Malaysia. Pregnant women at ≥20 weeks of gestation in urban and rural Malaysia ( n = 437) completed questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics and physical activity. Weight and middle-upper arm circumference were measured. Infant birth outcomes were extracted from medical records. Results The overall prevalence of low birth weight infants was 6.38%. Rural women had more low birth weight infants than urban women (9.8% vs 2.0%, p = 0.03). Findings showed rural women were less sedentary ( p = 0.003) and participated in more household/caregiving activities ( p = 0.036), sports activities ( p = 0.01) and less occupational activity ( p < 0.001) than urban women. Logistic regression revealed that older age (OR = 1.395, 95% Cl = 1.053 to 1.846), low parity (OR = 0.256, 95% Cl = 0.088–0.747) and low middle-upper arm circumference (OR = 0.738, 95% Cl = 0.552 to 0.987) increased the risk of low birth weight infants in rural, but not in urban women. Conclusions We observed differences in risk factors for low birth weight between urban and rural pregnant women. Age, malnutrition and low parity were risk factors for low birth weight among rural pregnant women. Our findings suggest that rural pregnant women with low nutritional status should be encouraged to monitor their middle-upper arm circumference consistently throughout pregnancy. Improving nutritional status in rural pregnant women may reduce the risk of low birth weight infants in this population.

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Abstract. Involving school-age children in the preparation of healthy meals is shown to be associated with positive eating behavior. Yet, it remains unclear whether this can extend to their nutritional status. The present study aimed to determine the association of school-age children’s psychosocial factors (knowledge, attitude, practice, self-efficacy) towards healthy meal preparation with their nutritional status (BMI-for-age, waist circumference, body fat percentage). Stratified random sampling was used to select primary schools (n = 8) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Two hundred school children aged between 9–11 years old were involved. Psychosocial factors towards healthy meal preparation were assessed using validated questionnaire. Anthropometry measures were determined using standard protocol. Almost half (46 %) of the school-age children were obese/overweight, 39 % were abdominally obese and 40 % were overfat. Approximately half had poor knowledge (49 %), poor practice (45 %), good attitude (56 %) and good self-efficacy (47 %) towards healthy meal preparation. Significant positive correlations were observed between knowledge with attitude (r = 0.23, p < 0.001); knowledge with self-efficacy (r = 0.30, p < 0.001); attitude with practice (r = 0.34, p < 0.001); attitude with self-efficacy (r = 0.59, p < 0.001) and practice with self-efficacy (r = 0.50, p < 0.001). Adjusted logistic regression revealed that school-age children with good attitude were less likely to be abdominally obese (OR = 0.87, 95 % Cl = 0.78 to 0.96) and overfat (OR = 0.84, 95 % Cl = 0.76 to 0.94). Children with good knowledge had lower risk of being abdominally obese (OR = 0.84, 95 % Cl = 0.72 to 0.97). Findings revealed that children’s psychosocial factors were interrelated, and improvements may have the potential in affecting nutritional status. Hands-on healthy meal preparation should be explored further as an innovative approach to address the obesity epidemic.

The involvement of children in healthy meal preparation activities has emerged as a potential strategy to promote healthy eating behaviour among children. However, there is a lack of understanding of children's internal (psychosocial factors) and external factors (home food availability) that may support the practice of preparing healthy meals. This study aimed to determine children's psychosocial factors of healthy meal preparation within themselves and their external environment of home food availability as predictors for the practice of healthy meal preparation. Public schools ( n = 8) from all three zones (Bangsar‐Pudu, Keramat and Sentul) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were selected through stratified random sampling. Two hundred children aged 9–11 and their parents participated. Children's psychosocial factors towards healthy meal preparation and their home food availability were assessed through children and parents, respectively, using validated questionnaires. Majority of the schoolchildren (86.5%) had poor practice of healthy meal preparation. Increased attitude ( r = 0.344, P < 0.001) and self‐efficacy ( r = 0.501, P < 0.001) of healthy meal preparation and the availability of fruits ( r = 0.304, P < 0.001), vegetables ( r = 0.243, P < 0.001) and healthful ready‐to‐eat foods ( r = 0.227, P = 0.001) at home were positively correlated with the practice of preparing healthy meals. After adjusting for age, sex and monthly household income, increased self‐efficacy ( P < 0.001), availability of fruits ( P = 0.01) and lower availability of less healthful ready‐to‐eat food ( P = 0.01) were associated with better healthy meal preparation practices. Outcomes revealed that positive self‐efficacy of healthy meal preparation, home food availability of fruits and less healthful alternatives were associated with the practice of healthy meal preparation and thus should be targeted in future health‐promotion strategy.

Background Emerging research has explored hands‐on meal preparation as a strategy to improve children's nutrition‐related outcomes. This scoping review was conducted to describe the extent of studies on children's involvement in hands‐on meal preparation and the related psychosocial outcomes, actual nutrition behaviour/food consumption and weight status. Methods Scoping review methodology was used to select relevant studies, as well as extract and collate the data. Four databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) were searched from the earliest available time up to December 2020. Observational studies, experimental studies and reviews that were conducted among children aged 5–12 years old and published from 2010 to 2020 were retrieved. Studies extracted involved children in hands‐on healthy meal preparation activities and explored the associated nutrition outcomes. Results In total, 28 studies (5 observational studies, 21 experimental studies, 2 reviews) were included in the final review. Studies conducted demonstrated improvement in children's psychosocial outcomes and actual nutrition behaviour/food consumption after participating in hands‐on meal preparation activities, despite differences in methodology, programme content and settings (countries/cultural origins). Limited studies assessed children's nutrients intake and weight status. Conclusions The current review suggests that hands‐on meal preparation comprises approach for instilling positive perceptions towards nutrition/healthy foods, potentially improving children's diet. Future studies should include the assessment of nutrient intake and weight status. The long‐term sustainability of these nutrition outcomes should be explored.