INTRODUCTION
MyHeARTs (Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team Study) aims to examine risk factors of non-communicable diseases among adolescents, thus can lead to scientific findings that can assist in developing possible intervention or policies for the betterment of the adolescent health. Data were collected through students and parental questionnaires survey, physical evaluation as well as blood sample collection included socio-economic status, lifestyle (e.g. smoking, physical activity assessment, dietary history), and environmental information, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, handgrip strength and bone mineral density. Biochemical parameters including fasting blood samples for blood glucose, lipid profiles, full blood count, renal profile as well as bone profile and serum vitamin D were also taken. The participants of the study were first examined at the age of 13 years and were followed up at the age of 15 and 17 years. We hope to have a similar follow-up after a period of ten years beyond their third encounter with us.
The MyHeARTs study is the first initiative in Malaysia to collect information from in-school adolescents who are at the age of 13 years and from their parents or guardians. The information is collected with the aim to identify the status of major modifiable risk factors such as blood pressure, body composition, nutrition and dietary intake, physical activity and other lifestyle factors, health seeking behaviour and environmental exposure of chronic non-communicable diseases from a representative cohort of Malaysian adolescent.
The Malaysian government has given emphasis on prevention of non-communicable diseases in the Tenth Malaysia Health Plan (2011-2015), which mainly focus on school children and adolescent due to the increase in medical cost that puts pressure on the free or minimal charge Malaysian health care system. The study findings will provide essential information to the government to design a cost effective health care strategy for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases among adolescents in order to ensure a productive future generation in developing a healthy nation.