title: Evaluation of diet quality and its associated factors among adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to determine contribution of meal frequency, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods towards diet quality of adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted among 373 adolescents aged from 13 to 16 years old. Diet quality of the respondents was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index for Malaysians. Meal frequency, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods were assessed through the Eating Behaviours Questionnaire (EBQ), self-efficacy for healthy eating scale, and availability of healthy foods scale, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the respondents (80.7%) were at risk of poor diet quality. Males (mean = 34.2 ± 8.2%) had poorer diet quality than females (mean = 39.9 ± 9.0%) (t = -5.941, P < 0.05). Malay respondents (mean = 36.9 ± 8.7%) had poorer diet quality than Indian respondents (mean = 41.3 ± 10.0%) (F = 2.762, P < 0.05). Age (r = 0.123, P < 0.05), self-efficacy for healthy eating (r = 0.129, P < 0.05), and availability of healthy foods (r = 0.159, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the diet quality of the respondents. However, meal frequency was not correlated with the diet quality of the respondents. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that being a male, being a Malay, low self-efficacy for healthy eating, and low availability of healthy foods contributed significantly towards poor diet quality among respondents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In short, sex, ethnicity, self-efficacy for healthy eating, and availability of healthy foods were associated with diet quality among adolescents. Health practitioners should take into consideration of differences in sex and ethnicity during implementation of nutrition-related intervention programs. Self-efficacy for healthy eating and availability of healthy foods should be included as important components in improving diet quality of adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Fara Wahida
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Rezali
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. ; Research Centre of Excellence, Nutrition and Non-communicable Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra, Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yit Siew
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. ; Research Centre of Excellence, Nutrition and Non-communicable Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra, Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zalilah
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mohd Shariff
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. ; Research Centre of Excellence, Nutrition and Non-communicable Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra, Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Barakatun Nisak
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Mohd Yusof
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kaartina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sanker
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Fui Chee
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Woon
keywords: Diet quality; adolescents; meal frequency; self-efficacy