Nutritional status and food habits of cement workers in United Arab Emirates

A sample of 304 cement workers was selected randomly from factories in the United Arab Emirates to study nutritional status and food habits of those workers. The mean age of the workers was 38.5 years and most of them were Indians [88%]. Based on body mass index, BMI [weight [kg]/height [m][2]], the prevalence of overweight and obesity was relatively high [33.2%], while 60.2% of workers were normal and only 6.6% were underweight. Marital status and monthly income were significantly associated with nutritional status [P<0.0001 and P<0.005, respectively]. Data on meal patterns of workers indicates low intake of milk and milk products and to some extent meat, chicken and fish. Fruits vegetables and tea were highly consumed. This pattern was mainly due to the traditions and religious factors of the workers, as many of them were vegetarians. Most of the workers [86.6%] ate breakfast daily and only 3.9% skipped breakfast. Lunch, the main meal, was mainly consumed at work-place [71.8%]. The low intake of animal products may suggest a deficiency of some essential nutrients. In depth investigations on the relationship between food habits and nutritional status of workers in this region is highly recommended for any nutrition intervention programme