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Nutrition Unit
| Introduction | Research |
In the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) Eradication Programme of the Ministry of Health, the Nutrition Unit serves as the central laboratory that prepares and supplies test kits for iodine detection and semi-quantitative measurement in water and salt. A total of about 4000-5000 test kits are distributed to health centres all over the country annually for use in monitoring the IDD programme.
Iodine deficiency can cause hypothyroidism and goitre. In children, will result in growth & mental retardation.
Water iodinator Iodised salt
National Iodine deficiency eradication program implemented by MOH since 1995 using 2 methods: iodised salt & water iodinator
IMR is currently doing a study to determine the effectiveness of the iodinators used in primary schools in Terengganu.
Community nutrition continues to be given importance, and this includes the nutritional status of communities, food consumption patterns of all community groups, nutrient and micronutrient deficiencies, nutritional biochemistry and the nutritional value of local foods are all thrust areas of research.
Assessment of community nutritional status
Studies on the nutritional status of poverty villages in Peninsular Malaysia
• helped laid the foundation for many of the national nutrition policies today
• Iodine
- Assessment and control of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD)
- Rapid test kits to monitor iodine levels in water and in imported iodized salt at points of entry and provision shops - Improvement in urinary iodine measurement methodology (micro- technique & automation)
• Iron
- weekly iron supplement in adolescent school girls is a promising immediate measure for the control of nutritional anaemia while dietary improvement is for a long term solution
• the first to establish the digestibility, absorbality and caloric values for refined palm oil, palm olein and palm stearin
• pioneer in palm oil human feeding trials
• development of nutrient analysis software, NutriCal
• software helps to improve speed and accuracy of calculations nutritionists and dietitians need to perform in their dietary studies and food preparation
