MSc

A study on “Nutritional profile of women labour in coir sector” was conducted during 2007-2008 among women coir workers of organized and unorganized sectors in Alappuzha district. A total of 60 women coir workers were selected from organized sector and 60 women from unorganized sector constituting 120 women coir workers as the sample for the study.

The details on socio-economic status and food consumption pattern of the family and working pattern, nutritional status, energy balance and occupational hazards of respondents were collected from the respondents.

Information regarding socio-economic condition of the families revealed that most of the families in organized and unorganized sectors were Hindus and belonged to backward caste with a family size of 4 to 6 members.

Majority of the family members in organized and unorganized sectors were literates. The monthly income of the families varied from Rs.1000 to 5000.

Majority of the families in both organized (58.33%) and unorganized sectors (63.33%) owned upto 10 cents of land.

All the families in both sectors borrowed money from different sources. Majority of the families in both sectors did not have the habit of saving money for future purpose.

All the families in organized sector had their own houses with brick as the wall material and tiles as the roofing material with three to four rooms. Drinking water, electricity, recreational and lavatory facilities were found to be satisfactory.


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All the families in both groups were non vegetarians and consumed rice as their staple food. Food expenditure pattern of the families revealed that in both sectors maximum amount of the income was spent on cereals. Majority of the families purchased food items from PDS and nearby shops on a weekly basis. The most frequently used food items were cereals, other vegetables, fats and oils, spices and condiments, sugar and fish in both the sectors.

Advance meal planning was popular in both groups with three major meals a day pattern.

Age of the respondents varied from 23 to 55 years and majority of the respondents in both sectors were married. All the respondents in organized sector and 81.67 per cent respondents in unorganized sector were found to be literate.

All the respondents in organized sector worked for 6 days in a week for 7 to 8 hours in a day from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm with specific time for interval in the morning, noon and evening. In unorganized sector the respondents worked for 3 to 6 days in a week with out any specific time schedule.

All respondents in both sectors used to get their wages on weekly basis. In organized sector the wage of most of the respondents varied from Rs 300 to Rs 400 week and in unorganized sector it varied from Rs 200 to 300 in a week.

Details of morbidity pattern among the respondents for the past one year revealed chikungunia as the most important epidemic and 53 per cent of the respondents in organized and 65 per cent in unorganized sectors suffered from chikungunia during 2006-2007.

Asthma, allergy, skin lesions and pain in the hands and legs as well as back pain were the prominent occupation related problems noted among the respondents of both organized and unorganized sectors.

Body mass index showed that about 58.33 per cent in organized and 51.67 per cent of respondents in unorganized sector had normal BMI in the range of 18.5 to 22.9. Among the respondents who were undernourished 85.72 per cent in organized sector and 80 per cent in unorganized sector were found to be having mild malnutrition.

The food and nutrient intake of the respondents indicated that the intake of most of the food groups were lower than the RDA. The intake of other vegetables, roots and tubers and flesh foods were found to be higher than the recommended allowances in both sectors. The intake of most of the nutrients were also lower than the RDA.

Clinical examination showed symptoms like xerosis, pigmentation, angular stomatitis, chalky teeth, dental carries, loss of luster in hair and pale but coated tongue among both sectors of respondents.

Biochemical estimation of blood for haemoglobin showed that 70 per cent of respondents in organized sector and 85 per cent in unorganized sector had anaemia.

All the women coir workers were observed to have negative energy balance when their daily energy intake and daily energy expenditure were compared.