Sains Malaysiana 50(6)(2021): 1697-1705

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5006-16

Development and Validation of a Sustainable Diet Index among Malaysian Adults: Protocol

(Pembangunan dan Kesahihan Indeks Diet Lestari di Kalangan Rakyat Malaysia Dewasa: Protokol)

NUR FADZLINA ZULKEFLI & FOONG MING MOY*

Centre of Epidemiology & Evidence Based Practice, Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

Received: 6 March 2020/Accepted: 26 October 2020

ABSTRACT

Adopting a sustainable diet is an alternative to address the pandemics of obesity, undernutrition and climate change that are threatening human health. Sustainable diet considers the health aspect as well as the environmental impact of diets. There is a scarcity of research on sustainable diet and lack validated tools for its measurement. This article aimed to describe the protocol on the development and validation of a Sustainable Diet Index (SDI) among Malaysian adults. A Sustainable Diet Index (SDI) was developed based on previous studies and available dietary guidelines on sustainable diet. Five indicators (rice, animal-based food, plant-based food, food waste and packaging) were included in the SDI. The index will be validated among Malaysian adults using mobile food record as the dietary assessment tool. The index has the potential to measure the level of healthy and sustainable diet behaviour of an individual. The use of mobile food record provides images of each eating occasion for the evaluation of serving size and the information on waste management. Health and environmental impacts from the diet can be evaluated through the integration of all indicators in the SDI. The index developed is novel and expected to provide a feasible measurement to assess the level of sustainable diet of an individual.

Keywords: Environment; health; protocol; sustainable diet index

ABSTRAK

Amalan diet lestari adalah alternatif untuk menangani pandemik keobesan, kurang nutrisi dan perubahan iklim yang mengancam kesihatan. Diet lestari merangkumi kedua-dua aspek kesihatan dan alam sekitar daripada diet. Terdapat kekurangan dalam penyelidikan mengenai diet lestari dan alatan yang sahih untuk mengukur diet lestari. Kertas ini bertujuan untuk menghuraikan protokol mengenai pembangunan dan kesahihan Indeks Diet Lestari (SDI) di kalangan rakyat Malaysia dewasa. Indeks Diet Lestari (SDI) dicipta berdasarkan kajian terdahulu serta mengambil kira garis panduan pemakanan yang merangkumi aspek diet lestari. Lima komponen (beras, makanan berasaskan haiwan, makanan berasaskan tumbuhan, sisa makanan dan pembungkusan) disertakan di dalam SDI. Indeks ini akan disahkan di kalangan rakyat Malaysia dewasa menggunakan rekod makanan mudah alih sebagai alat penilaian diet. Indeks ini mempunyai potensi untuk mengukur tahap amalan diet yang sihat dan lestari seseorang. Penggunaan rekod makanan mudah alih dapat memberi imej makanan dan minuman yang diambil untuk penilaian saiz hidangan dan pengurusan sisa. Kesan terhadap kesihatan dan alam sekitar daripada diet dapat dinilai melalui penyatuan semua komponen dalam SDI. Indeks yang telah dibangunkan ini adalah baharu dan dijangka dapat memberikan pengukuran yang mudah untuk menilai tahap diet lestari seseorang.

Kata kunci: Indeks diet lestari; kesihatan; persekitaran; protocol

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*Corresponding author; email: moyfm@ummc.edu.my