Evaluation of physical fitness and weight status among fisherwomen in relation to their occupational workload

Age Group-Wise Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases Among Shrimp Cultivators in India: A Retrospective Analysis of Disability-Adjusted Life Years Method

OBJECTIVE

Despite generating huge employment opportunities and profitable business, fishing is considered a dangerous occupation due to challenging weather conditions and exposure to unhealthy occupational factors and lifestyles, which contribute to various health issues. However, few studies have examined the health status of shrimp cultivators. Consequently, this study aims to estimate the age group-wise burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among shrimp cultivators.

METHODS

Simple random sampling was employed for collecting data. The sample size was 357 shrimp cultivators. Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) and relative risk (RR) methods were used to measure the burden of NCDs among shrimp cultivators. This study reported the burden of NCDs per 100,000 shrimp cultivators.

RESULTS

The top five prevalence of NCDs per 100,000 shrimp cultivators were mental disorders (85,434), musculoskeletal diseases (26,325), digestive diseases (9,803), diabetes (5,882), and cardiovascular diseases (4,481). DALY per 100,000 shrimp cultivators was 33,407.59, while at the national level, it was 24,775.99 per 100,000 people across all age groups. The RR of NCDs among shrimp cultivators in terms of DALY was 1.35, indicating a 0.35 times higher burden of NCDs among shrimp cultivators than at the national level. The largest RR of NCDs was found among shrimp cultivators aged 15-49 years (1.85), followed by 50-69 years (1.09). The highest percentage changes in the burden of NCDs among shrimp cultivators, resulting from changes in the methods of estimating DALY, was observed in the age group of 70 years and above (-48.36%) followed by 15-49 years (-46.08%) and 50-69 years (-40.33%) when compared to the baseline method of estimating DALY without utilizing age weightage and discount rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Focus should be given to improving the lifestyle and occupational factors of shrimp cultivators to mitigate the burden of NCDs.

A cross-sectional study to assess the occupational health hazards among fisherwomen in a metropolitan city

Context

Research on the working conditions and health hazards of fishing communities in developing countries is scarce.

Aims

1) To assess the occupational health hazards among women fish vendors. 2) To understand the morbidity profile in them. 3) To analyze various challenges faced by them at the workplace in this occupation. 4) To suggest various measures including ergonomic solutions that they can take to reduce these health hazards.

Settings and Design

Community-based observational cross-sectional study.

Methods and Material

Eight fish markets comprising women fish vendors working for more than one year (age > 30 years) in Mumbai were selected. A cluster sampling method was used. The sample size was 225. The period of the study was 2 years.

Statistical Analysis Used

Chi-square test.

Results

The majority of study subjects had diabetes mellitus (24%) and were overweight (54.7%). Of all participants, 55.1% had musculoskeletal pain of which low back pain (69; 30.7%) was most common. There was a significant association between musculoskeletal pain status and mode of carrying boxes, χ2 (1) =56.35 as well as with duration of occupation, χ2 (3) =89.67, P < 0.001. Of all participants, 90.2% got injured of which the majority had incisional wounds (124; 61.1%). Of all participants, 55.1% suffered from skin infections of which the majority (28; 12.4%) had itching and redness of hands and legs. There was a significant association between skin infections and duration of occupation, χ2 (3) =140.53 as well as with the use of gloves (63.2% participants), χ2 (1) =20.395, P < 0.001.

Conclusions

Various measures including ergonomic solutions that women fish vendors can take to reduce these health hazards need to be addressed.

Associations between Physical Fitness Index and Body Mass Index in Tibetan Children and Adolescents in Different High-Altitude Areas: Based on a Study in Tibet, China

Objective: To investigate the relationship between physical fitness index (PFI) and body mass index (BMI) of Tibetan children and adolescents in different high-altitude areas in Tibet, China. Methods: Using the stratified cluster sampling method, 3819 Tibetan children and adolescents from three different high-altitude areas including Nyingchi, Lhasa and Nagqu in the Tibet area of China were given grip strength, standing long jump, sitting forward bend, 50 m running and endurance running tests. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the physical fitness index in different high-altitude areas. In addition, the method of curve regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between PFI and BMI. Results: In general, the level of PFI in Nagqu, Tibet, China was lower than that in Nyingchi and Lhasa, and the levels of girls were generally lower than those of boys. The proportions of malnourished, normal, overweight and obese Tibetan boys in high-altitude areas were 11.8%, 79.7%, and 8.5%; those of girls were 3.3%, 82.3%, and 14.4%, respectively. The curve regression analysis showed that the model fitting of male Nyingchi, Lhasa, Nagqu and female Nyingchi, Lhasa, Nagqu were all significant (F values were 29.697, 34.709, 37.500, 9.123, 9.785, 6.939, p < 0.01). The relationship between BMI and PFI generally showed an inverted “U” curve relationship. Conclusion: The negative impact of overweight and obesity on physical fitness of Tibetan boys in high-altitude areas is significantly higher than that of girls, and the negative impact of overweight and obesity on physical fitness of boys in Lhasa and Nyingchi area is more significant than that in the Nagqu area. In the future, attention should be paid to Lhasa and the occurrence of overweight and obesity among Tibetan boys in Nyingchi area in order to prevent the sharp decline of physical fitness and promote the physical and mental development of Tibetan children and adolescents in high-altitude areas.

Fast food consumption and overweight/obesity prevalence in students and its association with general and abdominal obesity

Nowadays, the prevalence of both fast food consumption and overweight/obesity has been increased. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of fast food consumption and to assess its association with abdominal and general obesity. In an analytical cross-sectional study, 300 students were selected randomly from two largest universities in Qom, center of Iran, studying in medical and basic sciences fields in 2015. Data collection was conducted by a modified version of NELSON's fast food questionnaire and anthropometric measures including Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) and Body Mass Index (BMI). Chi-square, independent t-test, and multivariate logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. According to our results, 72.4% (67.4% in females vs 80.7% in males) had at least one type of fast food consumption in the recent month including sandwich 44.4%, pizza 39.7%, and fried chicken 13.8%, The obesity prevalence based on BMI and WHR was 21.3% (95% CI: 19.4, 23.2%) and 33.2% (95% CI: 0.7, 35.7), respectively. Fast food consumption was related to abdominal obesity as WHR (OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.26), but was not related to general obesity as BMI (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.63, 1.52). The prevalence of fast food consumption and obesity/overweight in Iranian student is high. Fast food consumption was associated with abdominal obesity based WHR, but did not related to general obesity based on BMI.