Effect of working patterns on women's health in two ethnic groups in a peri-urban area of Kolkata City, India

In order to assess the impact of agricultural work on the nutritional status of women, we examined 301 women inhabiting a peri-urban environment around Kolkata City, India. Women belonging to two ethnic groups vis-a-vis a tribe Munda and a caste Poundrakshatriya (Pod) were purposively selected for the study for their availability in the peri-urban area. The peri-urban area around the city of Kolkata consists of heterogeneous populations of different ethnic backgrounds, earning their livelihood by the cultivation of rice using the sewage water of the city. Pretested schedules were used to collect the information on the working pattern of a typical day, time spent on various activities, total income and expenditure, and education. Dietary intake was estimated by recall method. Nutritional status was assessed using the body mass index (BMI) for the classification of chronic energy deficiency (CED) (James et al., 1988). Chronic energy deficiency was found to be higher among the Munda women. Time spent on various activities was also found to be higher among the Munda women. Distance of workplace, time spent outside for work, and education showed significant differences in BMI among the working Munda women. In the case of the Pod working women, only poverty level was found to affect their BMI. Working women of both ethnic groups consumed more calories, protein, and iron than their nonworking counterparts. Linear regression analysis indicated that factors like dietary intake, time allocation, income and expenditure have more impact on the BMI of the working women of both ethnic groups (Munda R2 =0.184 and Pod R2= 0.204). The effect of working pattern was more pronounced on the BMI of the Munda women, which in turn, may be due to their low socio-economic condition which forces the women to work more to meet the demands of their families. Therefore, income generating schemes and health policies and interventions should be intensified for this vulnerable population of India in order to improve the overall health status and development of the nation.