Fatness and Physical Activity in Malaysian University Students
Martina, U., Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, Semmelweis University,
Budapest, Hungary
Introduction
The health, social and economical status of a population can be well-described with the
observed development of different anthropometric variables. From the genetic and
environmental conditions (development of public health, quantity and quality of nutrition,
hygiene), which determine body dimensions, regular physical activity become more and more
important. Unfortunately, the quantity of physical activity is continuously decreasing and its
reduced amount can be observed in the developing generation. The relationship between
physical hypoactivity and the increase of body mass and the rate of body fat is proved.
Obesity as a risk factor of cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory diseases is well-known,
thus the importance of prevention and treating of obesity is evidenced.
The body mass and BMI have already been investigated in Malaysian children and adult
populations, (Lim TO et al. 2000, Ismail MN et al. 2002, Moy FM 2004), but the relative
body fat content and fat distribution in university students living in Kuala Lumpur have not,
to the best of our knowledge, yet been published. Results of anthropometric measurements
and the connected international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) might be a possible
new area of sport science in Malaysia.
Aim of the study
The aim of the study was to assess and to compare body dimensions, body height, body mass,
BMI and relative body fat content in healthy male and female malaysian university students.
Differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity will be analysed in order to establish
correlations among the anthropometric data and results of the physical activity questionnaire.
Subjects and methods
Standard anthropometric methods were used (Weiner and Lourie 1969). Body height, body
mass and 7 skinfold thicknesses were measured, BMI and percentage body fat were calculated
in volunteering males (n=173) and females (n=109). Body fat content was estimated
according to Parízkova (1961). Overweight and obesity were classified according to the body
fat norms reported by Lohman (1992) and by the BMI norms of WHO. Physical activity was
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estimated using the short form of IPAQ. Standard statistics (t-tests and repeated ANOVA)
were used to analyse group differences.
Results
Gender differences were observed in almost all anthropometric variables. Relative body fat
content in males was higher than average and the high standard deviations may predict the
large number of overweight and obese males. Differences in subscapular and suprailiac
skinfold thicknesses were not significant between males and females. The latter means that
the upper body fatness is frequent in Malay population. The males were significantly more
active than the females, but the prevalence of obesity was the same in both groups. The results
showed that physical activity level and the fatness is not always correlated strongly, and there
are many overweight and obese subjects who are active.
References
Ismail MN, Chee SS, Nawawi H, Yusoff K, Lim TO, James WP (2002): Obesity in Malaysia.
Obes Rev. 2002 Aug; 3(3): 203-208.
Lim TO, Ding LM, Zaki M, Suleiman AB, Fatimah S, Siti S, Tahir A, Maimunah AH (2000):
Distribution of body weight, height and body mass index in a national sample of Malaysian
adults. Med J Malaysia. 2000 Mar; 55 (1): 108-128.
Lohman, T.G. (1992): Advances in body composition assessment. Current Issues in Exercise
Science Series, Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, Illinois.
Moy FM, Gan CY, Zaleha MK (2004): Body mass status of school children and adolescents
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004; 13 (4): 324-329.
Parízková, J. (1961): Total body fat and skinfold thickness in children. Metabolism, 10: 794807.
Weiner, J.E.S., Lourie, J.A. (Eds.) (1969): Human Biology. A Guide to Field Methods. IBP
Handbook, No. 9. Blackwell Scientific Publishers, Oxford.
World Health Organisation (1998): Obesity – preventing and managing the global epidemic.
Report of a WHO consultation on obesity. WHO, Geneva.
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