MJM, Vol 70 Supplement 1 September 2015
My Body is Fit and Fabulous (MyBFF):
Community-based intervention to combat obesity
Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia
ABSTRACT
Malaysia has the highest prevalence of obesity compared to other ASEAN countries. The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS 2011) findings have shown that the prevalence of obesity among female adults was higher than male adults and high among government workers. Prevalence of obesity among adolescent show increasing trend. This paper describes the My Body is Fit and Fabulous (MyBFF) study, which is one of the government initiatives to combat obesity among the Malaysian adults. The aims of the MyBFF were to develop a weight loss intervention package, and to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention among overweight and obese student (MyBFF@school), housewives (MyBFF@home) and workers (MyBFF@work). The MyBFF involved the development of the intervention package and the evaluation of the intervention itself. The intervention package was developed based on various activities and these included scoping review, construction of items for diet and physical activity, in-depth interviews and pre-test of items. Preliminary findings of the intervention will also be highlighted. The findings will support the health policy and programme to empower the obese population in the community to reduce their weight.
Keywords: obesity intervention, MyBFF@home, MyBFF@school, MyBFF@work, Malaysia
