A Qualitative Study of the Awareness and Influencing Factors of the Dietary Habits of the Male and Female Workers' at a Manufacturing Facility in Gwangju / 대한지역사회영양학회지

Objectives@#This paper aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of the factors influencing the dietary habits of male and female workers at a facility in Gwangju and their awareness of the same. @*Methods@#A total of 32 workers were divided into eight groups based on work type, gender, and age, and focus group interviews (FGIs) were conducted. The FGIs included cognitive, behavioral, and environmental questionnaires based on dietary habits and the social cognitive theory. The interviews were analyzed by subject and sub-subject using audio recordings and transcriptions. @*Results@#Male workers in the concerned company favored meat while female workers preferred vegetables, yet by and large, the preferences were irregular. Male workers living alone frequently ate ready meals and female workers often skipped meals. An analysis of the factors influencing the study subjects’ dietary habits from the cognitive, behavioral, and environmental perspectives showed that the main factors negatively affecting their dietary habits were shiftwork, living alone, and drinking. Workers were unaware of these factors and their poor eating habits. Instead, male workers complained of poor cooking skills, while female workers complained of loneliness. Workers thus appeared to need the support of nutrition education and a counseling assistant to cope with this situation. @*Conclusions@#The study identified the fact that the absence of nutrition education left the workers unaware of their poor eating habits. The workers would need counseling and support to help them build healthy dietary habits. It would also be necessary to focus on raising the workers’ cognitive awareness of dietary habits and enhancing their behavioral ability to cope with bad eating habits through nutrition education that reflects the reality of their situation.

Factors associated with the dietary quality and nutrition status using the Nutrition Quotient for adults focusing on workers in the manufacturing industry / 한국영양학회지

Purpose@#This study examined the factors influencing Nutrition Quotient for adults (NQ-A), focusing on workers in the manufacturing industry. @*Methods@#The participants were 738 industrial workers in Gwangju. Their dietary information was analyzed using a questionnaire of NQ-A, which consisted of 21 checklist items and the general characteristics of the subjects. The scores of NQ-A and its 4 factors (balance, moderation, diversity, and dietary behavior) were calculated according to the general characteristics of subjects. The data were analyzed using a χ2 test, t-test, correlation, and multiple regression using SPSS 21.0 program. @*Results@#The mean NQ-A score was 45.3 for the total subjects, indicating a low grade. Non-shift workers showed significantly higher scores for balance, diversity, and moderation factors than shift workers. Forty-three (8.7%) shift workers and 123 (50.8%) non-shift workers had good NQ-A scores, whereas 453 (91.3%) shift workers and 119 (49.2%) non-shift workers required monitoring for nutrition. The significant influencing factors of NQ-A were the working pattern (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), family composition (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.001), and household income (p < 0.001). As a result of multiple regression analysis, there was a significant difference in the NQ-A score for moderation (F = 141.930, p < 0.001), diversity (F = 98.998, p < 0.001), balance (F = 52.329, p < 0.001), and dietary behavior (F = 12.895, p < 0.001). As a result, shift work and gender had the greatest influence on the balance (β = −0.372, p < 0.001), diversity (β = −0.316, p < 0.001), and moderation (β = −0.507, p < 0.001) factors in NQ-A. Gender had the most influence on the dietary behavior in NQ-A. @*Conclusion@#Shift work and gender were significant factors affecting NQ-A. To manage workers' health better, it will be necessary to prepare a nutrition education program according to the type of working pattern and gender.

Effect of working patterns on eating habits in manufacturing workers of Gwangju area / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate and analyze the association between stress from shift and non-shift work as well as the effects living habits have on eating habits in order to identify why and how workers can improve their health and form proper eating habits for higher working efficiency. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 361 workers from K manufacturing company from April 7 to 11, 2014 and they were surveyed using a questionnaire. The subjects were divided into two groups according to working pattern: shift workers (n = 216) and non-shift workers (n = 110). RESULTS: In the general characteristics, there were significant differences in age, work career, work time, marriage, monthly income, and education levels between the two groups. For healthy behaviors, significant differences in subjective health status, moderate physical activity, drinking, smoking, and sleep time were observed between shift workers and non-shift workers. For eating habits, scores of non-shift workers having a regular mealtime, balanced meal composition, and vegetable and seaweed intakes were significantly higher than those of shift workers. The sum score of dietary habits in non-shift workers was also significantly lower than that in shift workers (p < 0.05). Total job stress score did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The sum of eating habit scores according to work types was 16.1 ± 0.6 in non-shift workers and 14.0 ± 0.3 in shift workers. These results suggest that it is necessary to provide food suitable to characteristics of different workers according to work type which should be provided along with daily nutrition counseling to help subjects recognize their status.

Relationships between job stress and caffeine intake in industrial workers / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study analyzed the degree of job stress and caffeine intake in workers in industrial positions in order to determine the relationships between job stress and caffeine intake. METHODS: For this purpose, this study conducted a survey targeting 361 blue collar workers working for K manufacturing company, Gwangju. RESULTS: The total score for job stress in subjects was 72.7 ± 6.8 points/100 points. According to job stress, subjects were categorized as follows: Q1 for the group who had the least stress; Q2 for the group who had little stress; Q3 for the group who had a lot of stress, and Q4 for the group who had the most stress. As for the effects of caffeine on health, 57.1% thought that caffeine is helpful and not harmful if taken properly while 17.3% responded that less caffeine consumption is better. Daily intake of caffeine according to stress was presented as: 172.0 ± 85.3 mg in Q1, 179.0 ± 83.7 mg in Q2, 187.9 ± 81.4 mg in Q3, and 214.2 ± 147.3 mg in Q4 (p < 0.05). The percentages of caffeine consumption compared to the daily safe limit in subjects were: 43.0 ± 21.3, 44.8 ± 20.9, 47.1 ± 20.4, and 53.6 ± 36.8% in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively (p < 0.05). Adverse effects such as nausea or vomiting from caffeine were most common in Q4 (p < 0.05) CONCLUSION: As a result, higher stress in blue collar workers working for K manufacturing company was associated with more caffeine consumption. Groups with a lot of stress (Q4) consumed approximately 50% of daily safe limit of caffeine. Considering the results above, this study suggests that further research on more precise caffeine intake and its effects is needed.