Evaluation of nutritional status among a group of young Chinese adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A nutritional status study was carried out among a group of young Chinese a dults, aged between 19 and 25, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Subjects comprise d 108 young adults (55 women, 53 men) who were students at two institutes o f higher learning. Physical characteristics were evaluated by anthropometri c measurements while food intake was determined with a 3-day food record. B lood cholesterol and triglyceride were assessed using the Reflotron analyse r. Birthweight was obtained from birth certificates or by proxy. The result s showed that the mean body mass index (BMI) for men and women was 21.4 +/- 3.3 and 20.0 +/-: 2.0, respectively, indicating normal weight. Further ana lysis of BMT classification demonstrated that 28% of men and 39% of women w ere underweight, 11% of men and 2% of women were overweight while 2% of men were obese. Mean waist-to-hip ratio showed that the subjects had a low ris k of developing cardiovascular disease (0.72 +/- 0.03 women; 0.81 +/- 0.05 men). Mean energy intake was 8841 +/- 1756 kT per day for men and 6426 +/- 1567 kJ per day for women. Closer analysis of energy intake of the subjects showed that 86% of men and 91% of women were consuming below the Malaysian recommendation for energy. Nutrients found to be deficient in at least one third of women were calcium, vitamin A, niacin and iron. Mean cholesterol intake in the diet was 278.7 +/- 108.7 mg in men and 207.0 +/- 82.5 mg in w omen and there was a significant difference between genders. Blood choleste rol and triglyceride levels were 3.88 +/- 0.76 mmol/L and 1.08 +/- 0.33 mmo l/L, respectively in men, while these levels were lower in women, 3.87 +/- 0.80 mmol/L for cholesterol and 0.99 +/- 0.29 mmol/L for triglyceride. A ge neral trend of higher mean blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels was sh own in adults who were born with lower birthweights.