Food consumption and energy expenditure pattern of agricultural labourers of Trivandrum district

Abstract

The study comprises the socio economic and food consumption profile of the families of agricultural labourers with specific reference to their actual food intake, energy expenditure and nutritional status.

The samples surveyed were nuclear type families belonging to under previlaged communities. Family income was directly propotional to the number of persons employed in the family. As the income increased, the percentage of income spent on food decreased majority of the labourers were free from debt and were conscious of saving for future.

Families surveyed were non vegetarians by habit. Rice, tapioca, fish, coconut, locally cultivated vegetables, milk, cooking oils and sugar were the main items included in their daily diets. Home production of food articles helped to improve the consumption pattern of the families qualitatively but not quantitatively. Majority of the labourers followed unscientific culinary practices in cooking and storage of food articles.

Unbalanced, monotonous meal pattern was observed among the families. Compared to other stages of life, special attention for feeding were given only during infancy and preschool period. No special foods were given during adolescent period or for women during pregnancy and lactation. Irrespective of the nutritional requirements of the family members, first preference was given to the head of the family while serving food.

The labourers selected were getting employment for 24 days in a month and their health status was satisfactory. Besides outside employment, female labourers were fully responsible for household works and child care practices. Compared to female labourers, unhealthy habits were prevalent more among males. Because of the outside employment of the mother growth of the children were adversely affected.

Consumption of food quantitatively and availability of nutrients from the meal were not satisfactory in the two groups surveyed. The nutrients like retinol, thiamine and riboflavin were deficient in the diets of male agricultural labourers, while iron, retinol and riboflavin were deficient in the diets of female agricultural labourers. In the two groups energy expenditure was more than energy intake. Haemoglobin level was better among male labourers. The data when statistically analysed, indicated a significant correlation between height and weight and nutritional status Index (NSI) and Body Mass Index (BMI) for male labourers and BMI and weight and BMI and energy expenditure for female labourers. Significant correlation developed in the Nutritional status Index (NSI) of male agricultural labourers