Obesity in food handlers
West Indian med. j
; 47(suppl. 2): 49-50, Apr. 1998.
Article
em En
| MedCarib
| ID: med-1833
Biblioteca responsável:
JM3.1
Localização: JM3.1; R18.W4
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to determine whether obesity is an occupational hazard in food handlers. 309 persons who presented to two Barbadian group General Practices for food handling certification were studied. The results demonstrate that a majority (55.3 percent) of food handlers had grade 1 obesity or overweight (BMI > 25 kg/sq m). The prevalence in men 67/104 (64.4 percent) was as great as in women 104/175 (59.4 percent). Overweight was high in the relatively young age groups, 30-39 (60.9 percent), 40-49 (75 percent) and 50-59 (69.7 percent). Among the food handlers it was seen more frequently in those with sedentary lifestyles (76/116; 65.5 percent) and in those who had worked more than 10 years in the food handling industry (91/140; 65 percent). No association was found between overweight and use of alcohol or tobacco, but among the food handlers studied were many who demonstrated inaccurate perception of their body image, with 74 of the 190 (39 percent) who thought their weight to be normal, actually classified as overweight. Obesity or overweight is most likely and occupational hazard in food handlers. They work in an industry that is growing rapidly in Barbados as tourism services expand and as the local population adopts the lifestyle of eating out more often. Food handlers are required by law to be certified annually as fit to work. It is important that doctors recognize the threat of obesity and use the opportunity of this annual examination to screen and intervene for this hazard.(AU)
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MedCarib
Assunto principal:
Obesidade
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Região como assunto:
Barbados
/
Caribe ingles
Idioma:
En
Revista:
West Indian med. j
Ano de publicação:
1998
Tipo de documento:
Article