Nutritional assessment of women working in the textile industry in Lodz from 1986 to 1989

: This communication was designed to determine the intake of food products and nutrients in randomly selected manual workers (women) of the textile industry, as well as to quantitatively evaluate the deficiency or excess of nutrients in their average diet. Daily nutrition was evaluated in 300 females, manual workers aged 35-44 years. Rheir nutrition was assessed by the method of a questionnaire concerning food intake during 24 h prior to the inquiry. As a result, the kind of nutrition was determined. Moreover, the nutritive value of the daily food rations, as well as the intake of the different groups of food products were calculated and compared with the recommended food standard B. The results indicate that: the observed unbalanced nutrition involving deficiencies of milk, vegetables, fruits and cereals may lead to e.g. disturbances in the acid-base equilibrium and to hypovitaminoses; the deficiency of magnesium and calcium creates the risk at the accelerating sclerotic changes; deficiencies of iron, zinc and cooper in the diet of women of reproductive age may result in the occurrence of anemia and exert an adverse effect on the offspring; on account of work in two or three shifts, it is indispensable to organize taking of meals during working hours.