The Effect of Nutrition Education on Nutrition Knowledge and Health Improvement in Dyslipidemic Industrial Employees

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to investigate the impact of a 12-week nutrition education program on 32 male industrial workers (average age 44.5+/-3.8 yrs, work duration period 20.1+/-5.6 yrs) diagnosed as having dyslipidemia in a medical checkup at their workplace. This program was implemented with a conceptual framework on strengthening self-efficacy for the improvement of the health conditions of the workers. Most of all, the study exhibited benefits in the industrial workers by ameliorating the risk factors associated with dyslipidemia via changes in dietary behaviors, nutritional knowledge, and attitudes, as well as anthropometric and biochemical parameters. After the nutrition education, overall lifestyle, including the ratios of smoking (P<0.05) and drinking (P<0.01), significantly improved. Exactly 65.6% of the subjects reported that their dietary habits changed. Body weight, BMI, percentage of body fat, and waist circumference all significantly decreased (P<0.001). The systolic (P<0.01) as well as diastolic blood pressures (P<0.001) decreased. Moreover, the degree of increase in serum HDL-cholesterol was appreciable (P<0.001), and the atherogenic index also decreased (P<0.01). Further, risk factors related to metabolic syndrome in subjects significantly decreased (P<0.001). The average scores for nutrition knowledge increased from 9.3 to 17.7 points (P<0.001). All of the participants agreed on the need for a nutrition education program at their workplace. Further, it should be pointed out that the participants strongly indicated the need for continuing nutrition intervention.