Huang Lei (right), a fresh graduate from the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS), University of Macau (UM), will receive a first prize in the undergraduate student poster contest of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Global Health Conference to be held in Hong Kong, for her poster that presents a study examining the spatial and sociodemographic correlates of the weight status among Filipina migrant workers in Macao.

The winning paper is titled ‘Fast Food Restaurant Density and Weight Status: A Spatial Analysis among Filipina Migrant Workers in Macao (SAR), People’s Republic of China’. The study collected data from nearly 4,000 Filipina migrant workers in Macao, including the participants’ demographic characteristics, health-related behaviours, height, weight, and body fat percentage. The study has found that nearly 65 per cent of the participants are either overweight or obese and that the increased density of fast food restaurants has been associated with the unhealthy weight status of female migrant workers in Macao. The study suggests that health interventions to improve diet and physical activity should be promoted among this population.

Huang’s poster is based on a migrant health study she was involved in as an undergraduate research assistant in the Global and Community Mental Health Research Group of the FSS. During the time, she and Prof Brian Hall, director of the research group, co-wrote three papers, which have been published in journals included in the Social Sciences Citation Index. During her undergraduate studies, Huang received the Henry Fok Foundation Scholarship for three consecutive years and was awarded the Jorge Alvares Foundation Academic Prize for her outstanding academic achievements.

The upcoming conference will be held at the University of Hong Kong. It is expected to provide a platform for scholars, policymakers, and industry practitioners from different backgrounds to address health challenges facing city dwellers.

澳門大學社會學系應屆畢業生黃蕾(右)的研究關心社區，調查女性菲律賓外勞在澳門的生活空間與肥胖的關係。研究結果顯示，約65%在澳女性菲律賓外勞均有過重和肥胖的亞健康問題，並發現高密度的快餐店的居住環境，對她們的體重構成直接影響。該研究於“環太平洋大學協會（APRU）環球衛生會議＂上發表，獲評審團高度評價，於學士學生組別海報一等獎。

是次澳大獲獎研究以“在澳菲律賓外籍傭工：快餐店密度與體重狀況的空間分析＂為題，採集了近1,400位菲律賓女性外勞的身高、體重以及體脂百分比等數據，再分析她們的居住環境以及生活習慣等。研究發現當中高達65%菲籍女外勞均有過重和肥胖的亞健康問題，並指出居住環境周邊的快餐店密度，都會直接影響傭工的身體狀況。由於過重和肥胖已成為當今全球公共衛生的重要議題之一，研究認為有必要在這一群體中加強宣傳均衡飲食和適量運動對健康的重要性。

相關研究是黃蕾在澳大全球與社區心理健康研究小組擔任本科研究助理期間所參與進行的。期間，她與該研究小組負責人、澳大副教授賀佰恩合著三篇文章，並見載於於社會科學引文索引（SSCI）所收錄的學術期刊中。黃蕾曾連續三年獲頒霍英東基金會獎學金，並於畢業時以優異的學術成績獲頒歐維治基金會學術獎項。

今屆APRU環球衛生會議將在香港大學舉行，吸引眾多來自世界各地的學者、政策制定者和衛生從業者商討應對城市健康的各項挑戰。