Congratulations to Dr. Lye Chuan Way on successfully defending his Doctor of Public Health thesis!

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Lye Chuan Way has successfully defended his Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) dissertation on September 26, 2024. Dr. Lye’s groundbreaking research, titled “The Association of Household Food Insecurity and Child Feeding Practices with Childhood Undernutrition Among Residents of Low-cost Public Housing in Klang Valley,” sheds light on a critical public health issue affecting urban low-income communities.

The department would like to congratulate Prof. Dr. Hazreen Abdul Majid and Dr. Ng Ai Kah, and Datin Dr. Sheamini Sivasampu Institute for Clinical Research, National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia.

The viva voce was chaired by Professor Dr. Tunku Kamarul Zaman Tunku Zainol Abidin. Both the internal and external were also present, Professor Dr. Sri Sumarmi, Department of Nutrition
Faculty of Public Health, Airlangga University and Professor Dr. Nik Daliana Nik Farid. The other committee of examiners were Professor Dr. Shahrul Bahyah Kamaruzzaman, Deputy Dean (Post Graduate), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya and Professor Dr. Victor CW Hoe, Head of Department, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine.

His study reveals alarming statistics: 57.1% of households in low-cost public housing in Klang Valley experience food insecurity, while childhood undernutrition rates are concerningly high, with 36.4% of children stunted, 20.6% underweight, and 15.7% wasted.

Dr. Lye’s research identifies key factors influencing these outcomes, including:

• Household income below the poverty line significantly increases the risk of food insecurity
• Maternal education levels and household size impact childhood stunting
• Specific child feeding practices can either protect against or contribute to undernutrition

The findings of this study have important implications for policymakers and public health professionals. Dr. Lye’s work emphasizes the need for comprehensive interventions that address both the root causes of undernutrition, such as poverty and food access, as well as downstream factors like feeding practices.

Dr. Lye’s contribution to the field is further exemplified by his recent publication in the Journal of Public Health, where he conducted a systematic review on the relationship between household food insecurity and childhood undernutrition.

He also published the paper A systematic review of the relationship between household food insecurity and childhood undernutrition in Journal of Public Health.

We applaud Dr. Lye Chuan Way for his dedication to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations. His research provides valuable insights that can inform targeted interventions and policies to combat food insecurity and childhood undernutrition in urban low-income communities.

Congratulations once again to Dr. Lye on this significant achievement in his academic and professional career!