Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia
Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been associated with adverse effects and self-imposed dietary restrictions. The prevalence of its use in Asian children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and factors a...
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Elsevier
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Pediatrics and Neonatology |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957217300049 |
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| author | Fangyi Ong Way Seah Lee Charlotte Lin Ruey Terng Ng Shin Yee Wong Su Lin Lim Seng Hock Quak Marion Aw |
| author_facet | Fangyi Ong Way Seah Lee Charlotte Lin Ruey Terng Ng Shin Yee Wong Su Lin Lim Seng Hock Quak Marion Aw |
| author_sort | Fangyi Ong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been associated with adverse effects and self-imposed dietary restrictions. The prevalence of its use in Asian children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and factors associated with the use of CAM among children with IBD from Singapore and Malaysia, and to ascertain if dietary restriction was prevalent in patients who used CAM. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which parents of children with IBD attending two tertiary pediatric IBD referral centres in Singapore and Malaysia were interviewed. Data about demographics, conventional treatment, complementary therapies and dietary patterns were collected in a questionnaire. Results: Of 64 children with IBD interviewed, 83% (n = 53) reported the use of CAM (Singapore [90%] vs. Malaysia [76%]; p = 0.152). The median number of CAM agents used was two (range 1–10). The three most common types of CAM used were probiotics (64%), vitamin and mineral supplements (55%), and food-based therapies (36%). Among individual CAM categories, the use of food-based therapies was correlated significantly with nationality (r = 0.497, p < 0.001), history of weight loss due to IBD (r = 0.340, p = 0.013) and avoidance of certain foods to prevent a relapse (r = 0.289, p = 0.036). Parents who rated their child's disease activity as more severe were less likely to use CAM (r = −0.257, p = 0.041). Fifty-nine percent of CAM users reported physician awareness of their CAM use. The overall self-perceived efficacy of CAM in improving IBD symptoms was 34%. Of the dietary patterns explored, only intake of dairy products was associated with CAM use (r = 0.306, p = 0.019). Conclusion: Use of CAM is prevalent in children with IBD in Malaysia and Singapore. Further studies to elucidate reasons influencing CAM use, dietary patterns and efficacy of commonly used CAM would be required. Key Words: complementary therapies, inflammatory bowel disease, pediatrics, surveys and questionnaires |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-525961dabf4744dd963473d187f61c2f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1875-9572 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pediatrics and Neonatology |
| spelling | doaj-art-525961dabf4744dd963473d187f61c2f2025-08-20T01:56:23ZengElsevierPediatrics and Neonatology1875-95722018-10-0159549450010.1016/j.pedneo.2017.12.007Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and MalaysiaFangyi Ong0Way Seah Lee1Charlotte Lin2Ruey Terng Ng3Shin Yee Wong4Su Lin Lim5Seng Hock Quak6Marion Aw7Department of Dietetics, National University Hospital, Singapore; Corresponding author.Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Pediatrics and Child Health Research Group, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDepartment of Dietetics, National University Hospital, SingaporeDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDepartment of Dietetics, National University Hospital, SingaporeDepartment of Pediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, SingaporeDepartment of Pediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, SingaporeBackground: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been associated with adverse effects and self-imposed dietary restrictions. The prevalence of its use in Asian children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and factors associated with the use of CAM among children with IBD from Singapore and Malaysia, and to ascertain if dietary restriction was prevalent in patients who used CAM. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which parents of children with IBD attending two tertiary pediatric IBD referral centres in Singapore and Malaysia were interviewed. Data about demographics, conventional treatment, complementary therapies and dietary patterns were collected in a questionnaire. Results: Of 64 children with IBD interviewed, 83% (n = 53) reported the use of CAM (Singapore [90%] vs. Malaysia [76%]; p = 0.152). The median number of CAM agents used was two (range 1–10). The three most common types of CAM used were probiotics (64%), vitamin and mineral supplements (55%), and food-based therapies (36%). Among individual CAM categories, the use of food-based therapies was correlated significantly with nationality (r = 0.497, p < 0.001), history of weight loss due to IBD (r = 0.340, p = 0.013) and avoidance of certain foods to prevent a relapse (r = 0.289, p = 0.036). Parents who rated their child's disease activity as more severe were less likely to use CAM (r = −0.257, p = 0.041). Fifty-nine percent of CAM users reported physician awareness of their CAM use. The overall self-perceived efficacy of CAM in improving IBD symptoms was 34%. Of the dietary patterns explored, only intake of dairy products was associated with CAM use (r = 0.306, p = 0.019). Conclusion: Use of CAM is prevalent in children with IBD in Malaysia and Singapore. Further studies to elucidate reasons influencing CAM use, dietary patterns and efficacy of commonly used CAM would be required. Key Words: complementary therapies, inflammatory bowel disease, pediatrics, surveys and questionnaireshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957217300049 |
| spellingShingle | Fangyi Ong Way Seah Lee Charlotte Lin Ruey Terng Ng Shin Yee Wong Su Lin Lim Seng Hock Quak Marion Aw Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia Pediatrics and Neonatology |
| title | Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia |
| title_full | Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia |
| title_short | Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia |
| title_sort | complementary and alternative medicine cam practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in singapore and malaysia |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957217300049 |
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