Malays. Appl. Biol. (2017) 46(3): 97–104
ADVERSE REACTIONS TO FOODS (ARFS) IN CHILDREN:
PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS AND BEHAVIOUR
ASMA ALI, HAYATI MOHD YUSOF* and CHONG SET LIN
School of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT),
21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
*Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Accepted 5 September 2017, Published online 4 October 2017
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to assess parental knowledge, awareness and behaviour on Adverse Reactions to Foods (ARF) and its relation to family’s quality of life. In this cross-sectional study, 120 parents of children with documented ARFs in Selangor were recruited. Of these parents, 63.3% and 50.8% exhibited low levels of knowledge and awareness of ARFs, respectively. In terms of dietary practices, 31.7% avoided possible allergenic foods during pregnancy. The study found that 66.7% of children followed the childhood immunization schedule and 32.5% had symptomatic ARFs onset at age 36 months and above. Seafood appeared to be the main cause of ARFs (68%). ARFs appeared to be triggered mainly by environmental factors as reported by 46.7% of respondents. Nearly 56% of parents reported emotional responses associated with caring for ARF children while 8.8% and 17.5% found that ARFs affected relationships with family members and social acquaintances, respectively. A positive association was observed between specific levels of ARF knowledge and parental educational levels (p < 0.05). This findings represent an attempt to provide information for public education in a practical manner that can help optimize and sustain health benefits and overall community well-being.
Key words: Adverse Reactions to Foods (ARFs), children, parental knowledge, parental awareness, parental behaviour, sustainable livelihoods
