Human nutrient intake is closely related to the conditions of their workplace.
This study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted between 2016 and 2020. The study population comprised individuals aged 19 to 65 years who were engaged in paid work, excluding soldiers (total = 12,201, male = 5,872, female = 6,329). The primary outcome of interest was the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score, which was calculated using dietary intake data. Generalized linear models were used for statistical analyses.
Pink-collar workers had higher DII scores, indicating a potentially higher inflammatory diet than white-collar workers (mean: 2.18 vs. 1.89,
DII scores and dietary patterns differed among occupational groups and genders.
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Cooking oil fumes (COFs) from cooking with hot oil may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Since 2021, occupational lung cancer for individual cafeteria workers has been recognized in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify the distribution of lung-imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) among cafeteria workers and to determine factors related to Lung-RADS distribution.
We included 203 female participants who underwent low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening at a university hospital and examined the following variables: age, smoking status, second-hand smoke, height, weight, and years of service, mask use, cooking time, heat source, and ventilation. We divided all participants into culinary and non-culinary workers. Binomial logistic regression was conducted to determine the risk factors on LDCT of Category ≥ 3, separately for the overall group and the culinary group.
In this study, Lung-RADS-positive occurred in 17 (8.4%) individuals, all of whom were culinary workers. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed and no variables were found to have a significant impact on Lung-RADS results. In the subgroup analysis, the Lung-RADS-positive, and -negative groups differed only in ventilation. Binary logistic regression showed that the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of the Lung-RADS-positive group for inappropriate ventilation at the workplace was 14.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.296–67.231) compared to appropriate ventilation as the reference, and the aOR for electric appliances at home was 4.59 (95% CI: 1.061–19.890) using liquid fuel as the reference.
The rate of Lung-RADS-positive was significantly higher among culinary workers who performed actual cooking tasks than among nonculinary workers. In addition, appropriate ventilation at the workplace made the LDCT results differ. More research is needed to identify factors that might influence LDCT findings among culinary workers, including those in other occupations.
This study aimed to identify the relationship between exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and seafood consumption using a nationally representative data of the general Korean population.
This study was conducted on 5,402 adults aged 19 years and older (2,488 men, 2,914 women) based on the second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012–2014). We stratified the data according to gender and analyzed urinary BPA concentrations in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, health behavior, dietary factor, and seafood consumption. In the high and low BPA exposure groups, the odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression analysis according to the top 75th percentile concentration.
In men, large fish and tuna and other seafood categories had significantly higher ORs before and after adjustment in the group who consumed seafood more than once a week than in the group who rarely consumed seafood, with an adjusted value of 1.97 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–3.48) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.10–2.75), respectively. In the shellfish category, the unadjusted OR was 1.61 (95% CI: 1.00–2.59), which was significantly higher in the group who consumed seafood more than once a week than in the group who rarely consumed seafood. However, the OR after adjusting for the variables was not statistically significant. In women, the frequency of seafood consumption and the concentration of urinary BPA were not significantly associated.
BPA concentration was higher in men who frequently consumed large fish and tuna, shellfish and other seafood in this study.
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Intestinal parasitic infections are major public health problems worldwide, with high prevalence in low income countries where substandard food hygiene practices are common. Asymptomatic food handlers with poor personal hygiene could be potential sources of parasitic infections. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated factors among asymptomatic food handlers working at Haramaya University cafeterias, eastern Ethiopia.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among asymptomatic food handlers working at Haramaya University cafeterias from August 2015 to January 2016. Population proportion to size allocation and systematic random sampling techniques were used to identify the study participants. Stool samples were collected and examined simultaneouly using direct and modified formol ether concentration wet smear techniques. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software. Logistic regressions were applied to assess association between independent variable and intestinal parasitic infections. Statistical significance was declared at a
A total of 417 asymptomatic food handlers were enrolled in this study. Of these, females comprised 79.4%. Large proportion (39.3%) of food handlers were in the age group of 31–40 years. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 25.2% (95% CI: 18.3, 29.6).
The high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in this study highlights the importance of food handlers as probable sources of parasitic infections. Public health measures and sanitation programs should be strengthened to control the spread of intestinal parasitic infections.
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