Prevalence of undernutrition and anemia among male brick workers in north 24-Parganas district of West Bengal, India

Objective: The study was conducted to assess the nutritional and anemia status of adult male brick workers of North 24- Parganas district of West Bengal, India. Methods: 72 randomly selected male brick workers were taken for this cross-sectional study. The nutritional status was assessed from the reference values of body mass index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). The 24-hour recall method was used for dietary assessment. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value (HCT%) were measured, and the grade of anemia was assessed. Results: About 34.5 and 40.12% of brick workers were found to be undernourished in terms of BMI and MUAC, respectively. About 91.67% of brick workers were found to be anemic. Consumption of calories and protein and the percent intake of vitamins and minerals were found to be lower than the recommended daily allowance (RDA). SES of brick workers was significantly correlated with their BMI (p <0.05), MUAC (p <0.05), HCT% (p <0.01) and hemoglobin concentration (p <0.001). Conclusion: The present study revealed that a high prevalence of undernutrition and anemia exists in surveyed brick workers. SES and insufficient dietary intake seemed to be the significant determinants of their vulnerable nutritional status and anemia.