Dietary Intake Patterns and Nutritional Status of Food Secure and Insecure Women Garment Factory Workers in Bangladesh

Maintaining a good dietary intake and adequate nutritional status to ensure food security is a major challenge for the garment factory workers in Bangladesh. This study was carried out using a cross-sectional survey. To determine the nutritional status of the female garment factory workers’, anthropometric measurements as calculating height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference were conducted. Using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, the dietary intake patterns of female garment factory workers were assessed. In the cereal group, dried rice (0.18(SD 0.38), P=0.005) was preferred most by food-insecure participants. A significant mean intake of lentil (1.43(SD 0.49), P=0.020) was observed by food-secure female garment factory workers. A higher percentage was noticed in the occurrence of obese (94.4), and unhealthy waist circumference (69.4) among food-insecure female garment factory workers. Children studying in the family (adjusted b= -0.20, 95% CI, (-0.35, -0.04), P=0.013) was significantly associated with a decline in BMI of contributors in the study. Age (adjusted b= 0.30, 95%CI (0.15, 0.44), P=<0.001) and physical function (adjusted b= -0.05, 95% CI (-0.11, -0.003), P=0.04) were significantly associated with the increase or decrease in waist circumference of women garment factory workers. Anthropometric measurements (weight, body mass index, waist circumference) of female garment factory workers should be checked regularly.