Nutritional assessment and body composition analysis of women faculty in Madurai

Abstract

Working woman has extra workload along with her regular household work. Women who have a good health are capable to handle this workload. Women Professors usually do not perform their meals and physical activities with little regularity which predispose them for overweight. In this sense, it is necessary to carry out studies that evaluate the health conditions of women professors, especially regarding anthropometric indices which can be affected due to the exhaustive work routine. To be healthy and fit proper diet and healthy food is required. With this context, study of the nutritional status and body composition analysis of 50 women faculty in Arul Anandar College is carried out. In this regard body composition analysis such as Height, weight, BMI, Waist Circumference, Hip circumference, WHR, subcutaneous fat % and skeletal % in whole body, trunk, arm and leg, Body fat %, visceral fat %, resting metabolism, body age were assessed using omron karada scan body composition monitor and biochemical parameters such as blood haemoglobin also estimated. The mean and standard deviation was employed to analyze the data. BMI of the women faculty shows that they are overweight. Waist hip ratio is close to the ideal values, excess and high body fat risk and healthy visceral fat levels. The mean blood haemoglobin levels were near the standard values in all the age groups. On the whole 70 per cent of the women faculty were normal, 22 per cent were mildly anaemic, remaining 4 per cent were moderately anaemic.