ABSTRACT
Background: Improper food production, handling, and preparation techniques have direct influence on health. A food borne disease is a disease usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through ingestion of food. The objective of the present study was to assess the food safety knowledge and hygienic practices among food handlers and to assess the improvement in knowledge and hygienic practices after educational intervention.Methods: This was a longitudinal educational interventional study, carried out during October to December 2017 among 50 randomly selected food handlers in and around Gandhi Medical College campus, where the study subjects were interviewed by using a questionnaire in local language regarding their knowledge and practices of food handling, and were then later educated on proper food handling practices by lecture and demonstration method followed by a post intervention interview after a gap of 2 weeks.Results: Out of 50 food handlers, 62% had knowledge of the food borne diseases and it raises up to 100% post intervention. During pre-intervention, only 78% of the participants used to wash their hands before preparing meal and after intervention 92% were washing their hands before preparing meal.Conclusions: Food safety knowledge and hygienic practices among food handlers improved by 73% after the educational intervention. Maximum improvement was seen in the use of gloves, caps and hand washing practices.
ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a rapidly growing health problem in India. Diet and physical activity are important modifiable risk factors affecting the incidence, severity and management of DM. The aim of the study was to assess diet of diabetes mellitus patients. 87 adults from a cohort of diabetic patients attending the Medical Clinics at the Hamidia Hospital Bhopal were invited for the study.Methods: Information about their nutritional status & food consumption pattern was taken by 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire. Data was analysed using Epi Info and MS Excel. Frequency counts and percentages were used to describe the demographic characteristics of the participants while the significance difference in between male and female participants. The significance level was set at P <0.05 and 0.01. Statistical analysis used: MS Excel and Epi Info.Results: The study sample was 87 out of which 56 were females and 31 were males; mean age of DM patients was 48.21±12.98.The mean energy intake was 1386.52 kcal and 1125.79 kcal among male and female. The mean protein intake was 68.71 g and 50.50 among male and female diabetics. There was significant difference between male and female age. There were no significant difference in body mass index and waist hip ratio between male and female. 30 (34.5%) & 16 (18.4%) were overweight and obese respectively.Conclusions: Based on these findings, the dietary practices of diabetic patients are inadequate and require improvement. Education and counselling about diet of a diabetes patient is needed.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Work related musculoskeletal disorders areone of the most common occupational diseases which mainlyaffect lower back, neck and upper and lower extremities. Workrelated MSDs can affect shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists,hands, back, legs and feet. Symptoms include tenderness,pain, tingling, stiffness and swelling. The study aimed to findout the prevalence and pattern of musculoskeletal disordersamong the bank employees.Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was carriedout among the bank employees (272) employed at AreraHills Bhopal and evaluation of MSD’s with NORDICmusculoskeletal questionnaire.Results: The mean age of study paricipants was 34.8±10.6years,and the number of male staffs (67.95%) outnumberthat of females (32.05%). The mean hours spent per week onwork is around 50.3±9.8 hours. Lower back associated MSDwere more common (65.25%) among the staffs, while ankleswere the least effected (6.5%). Most disabling MSD wasseen to be that of wrist/hand (34.3%) followed by lower back(27.8%).Conclusion: Moderate prevalence of musculoskeletaldisorders and associated disability was reported by bankworkers in Arera Hills. Lower back associated morbiditieswas more prevalent among the bank workers