Anaemia is associated with reduced productivity of women workers even in less-physically-strenuous tasks

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Abstract
While many studies show reduced work output in heavy labour with poor nutritional status, data among less-physically-strenuous industrial occupations is scarce. In the present study the output of ninety-two women jute-factory workers over a 1-month period was measured together with haemoglobin, BMI, arm muscle and fat area, physical work capacity (maximum O2 consumption; ), as well as socio-economic, health and activity variables. A significant correlation was found between haemoglobin and work output, which remained significant (P < 0·005) after a multipleregression analysis with other potentially confounding factors. Anaemic workers and those with values less than 1·5 1/min were significantly less active at home than non-anaemic workers (P < 0·015). Anaemic women produced an average of 5·3% less in the factory and performed an average of 6·5 h less housework per week.

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