Events Calendar
Childhood obesity was once regarded as a challenge for developed countries; however, in recent years there is an alarming rise in obesity rates among children in developing countries. The 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey reported that 5.6% of children under the age of 5 years in Malaysia have overweight and obesity issues. Despite a slight decrease in this prevalence compared to the previous survey in 2015, our country still needs to strengthen its efforts to prevent childhood obesity.
The ToyBox Study Malaysia aimed to adapt and test an intervention program originating in Europe, to reduce childhood obesity risks among Malaysia preschool children. It was funded by the United Kingdom Medical Research Council (UK MRC) / Akademi Sains Malaysia grant called the Newton-Ungku Omar Fund, and was conducted in year 2017-2019 in collaboration with the Community Development Department (KEMAS). The project has shown promising findings, providing positive new evidence that warrant a follow-up to extend the reach and impact of the Toybox intervention across the whole Malaysia, through the use of online learning management system, namely e-ToyBox. The approach of using online resources for professional training is effective for communities that are geographically isolated, culturally distinct, and relatively disadvantaged economically.
This extension project is funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) under the Newton Fund Impact Scheme (NFIS), which is a collaborative effort between the UK and Malaysia. The research team consists of researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) in Malaysia, and Roehampton University and Durham University in the UK. It is led by Dr Leigh Gibson (Roehampton) as Principal Investigator (PI) and Prof Poh Bee Koon (UKM) as the Co-PI. Other co-researchers are Prof Ruzita Abd Talib (UKM), Dr Denise Koh (UKM), Assoc Prof Dr Cheah Whye Lian (UNIMAS), Assoc Prof Dr Julia Lee Ai Cheng (UNIMAS), Prof Cecilia Essau (Roehampton), Prof Caroline Summerbell (Durham) and Dr Sue Reeves (Roehampton). This project is supported by Prof Yannis Manios and Dr Odysseas Androutsos (Harakopio, Greece), and the Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity (MASO).
The eToyBox is an online learning platform developed to support preschool teachers in their efforts to address childhood obesity. It contains educational modules focussing on four energyrelated behaviours, such as water drinking, healthy snacking, increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour. Each module consists of infographics, classroom activities guide, animation videos and interactive flip books which can assist teachers in delivering the subject matter to preschoolers. Additionally, teachers can also share tip cards and bulletins to their students' parents to promote a healthy environment at home.
The eToyBox aims to reach preschool teachers from KEMAS kindergartens initially, and is planned for expansion to cover all preschool teachers throughout Malaysia in the future. A soft launching event of eToyBox was successfully held at the KEMAS Headquarters in Putrajaya on 30 November 2022, witnessed by the Director of the Community Development Department (KEMAS), Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and KEMAS preschool teachers. It is hoped that the eToyBox can improve preschool teachers’ knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy in teaching healthy behaviour at the preschool setting.
It is hoped that through eToyBox, the teachers, preschoolers and their parents can develop lifelong healthy behaviours that will benefit their health and well-being in the long run; ultimately, reducing obesity rates and health care costs in Malaysia in the future.
Please visit the following websites for more information:
● https://toybox-study.my/about-us.html
● Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) https://www.ukm.my/fsk/pusat-kesihatan-komuniti/
● Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (UNIMAS) https://www.unimas.my/
● Durham University, United Kingdom https://www.durham.ac.uk/homepage/
● Roehampton University, United Kingdom https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/
● Malaysia Community Development Department (KEMAS) https://www.kemas.gov.my/
● Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) https://might.org.my/
Memperluas Jangkauan dan Kesan Intervensi Tingkah Laku Sihat yang Berasaskan Prasekolah Melalui eToyBox
Obesiti kanak-kanak merupakan salah satu cabaran kepada negara maju. Namun sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini, terdapat peningkatan kadar obesiti dalam kalangan kanakkanak yang membimbangkan, terutamanya di negara sedang membangun seperti Malaysia. Tinjauan Kebangsaan Kesihatan dan Morbiditi 2019 melaporkan 5.6% kanak-kanak di bawah umur 5 tahun di Malaysia mempunyai masalah berat badan berlebihan dan obesiti. Walaupun terdapat sedikit penurunan dalam prevalens ini berbanding tinjauan sebelumnya pada 2015, negara kita masih perlu memperkasakan usaha untuk mencegah obesiti dalam kalangan kanakkanak.
ToyBox Study Malaysia bertujuan untuk menyesuaikan dan mengkaji program intervensi yang berasal dari Eropah, untuk mengurangkan risiko obesiti kanak-kanak prasekolah Malaysia. Projek ini telah menerima dana penyelidikan daripada United Kingdom Medical Research Council (UK MRC) / Akademi Sains Malaysia yang dikenali dengan nama Newton-Ungku Omar Fund. ToyBox Study Malaysia telah dijalankan pada tahun 2017-2019 dengan kerjasama Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS). Projek ini telah menunjukkan penemuan yang amat memberangsangkan. Hal ini memberikan bukti baharu yang positif yang seterusnya membawa kepada idea kajian lanjutan untuk memperluaskan jangkauan dan impak intervensi Toybox di seluruh Malaysia, melalui penggunaan platform pembelajaran dalam talian, iaitu eToyBox. Pendekatan latihan profesional disediakan secara dalam talian adalah berkesan untuk menjangkau komuniti yang terpencil, berlainan budaya, dan berpendapatan rendah.
Projek lanjutan ini dibiayai oleh UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) dan Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) di bawah Newton Fund Impact Scheme (NFIS), yang merupakan usaha kerjasama antara UK dan Malaysia. Pasukan penyelidik terdiri daripada penyelidik-penyelidik dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) dan Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) di Malaysia, serta Roehampton University dan Durham University di UK. Ia diketuai oleh Dr Leigh Gibson (Roehampton) sebagai Ketua Penyelidik (PI) dan Prof Poh Bee Koon (UKM) sebagai Ketua Penyelidik Bersama (Co-PI). Penyelidik bersama juga termasuk Prof Ruzita Abd Talib (UKM), Dr Denise Koh (UKM), Prof Madya Dr Cheah Whye Lian (UNIMAS), Prof Madya Dr Julia Lee Ai Cheng (UNIMAS), Prof Cecilia Essau (Roehampton), Prof Caroline Summerbell (Durham) dan Dr Sue Reeves (Roehampton). Projek ini disokong oleh Prof Yannis Manios dan Dr Odysseas Androutsos (Harakopio, Greece), dan Persatuan Kajian Obesiti Malaysia (MASO).
eToyBox merupakan platform pembelajaran dalam talian yang dibangunkan untuk menyokong guru prasekolah dalam usaha untuk menangani obesiti kanak-kanak. Ia mengandungi modul pendidikan yang memfokuskan kepada empat tingkah laku berkaitan tenaga, seperti minum air, makanan dan snek sihat, meningkatkan aktiviti fizikal dan mengurangkan tingkah laku sedentari. Setiap modul terdiri daripada maklumat grafik, panduan aktiviti kelas, video animasi dan flipbook interaktif yang boleh membantu guru menyampaikan bahan pelajaran kepada kanak-kanak prasekolah. Selain itu, guru juga boleh berkongsi kad tip dan buletin bersama ibu bapa untuk mewujudkan persekitaran yang menggalakkan dan gaya hidup yang sihat di rumah.
Tujuan utama eToyBox pada fasa awalnya adalah untuk menjangkau guru prasekolah tadika KEMAS, dan seterusnya dirancang untuk berkembang menjangkaui semua guru prasekolah di seluruh Malaysia pada masa akan datang.
Majlis pelancaran awal eToyBox telah berjaya diadakan di Ibu Pejabat KEMAS di Putrajaya pada 30 November 2022, disaksikan oleh Pengarah Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS), Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) dan guru-guru tabika KEMAS. Diharapkan eToyBox dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan, sikap dan keyakinan kendiri guru prasekolah dalam mendidik tingkah laku sihat di prasekolah.
Dengan adanya eToyBox, diharap para guru dan kanak-kanak prasekolah, serta ibu bapa dapat menerapkan tingkah laku dan gaya hidup sihat sepanjang hayat yang bermanfaat kepada kesihatan dan kesejahteraan mereka dalam jangka masa panjang. Seterusnya, kadar obesiti dan kos penjagaan kesihatan Malaysia akan dapat dikurangkan pada masa hadapan.
Untuk maklumat lanjut:
● https://toybox-study.my/about-us.html
● Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) https://www.ukm.my/fsk/pusat-kesihatan-komuniti/
● Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (UNIMAS) https://www.unimas.my/
● Durham University, United Kingdom https://www.durham.ac.uk/homepage/
● Roehampton University, United Kingdom https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/
● Malaysia Community Development Department (KEMAS) https://www.kemas.gov.my/
● Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) https://might.org.my/
