Public Health Officer Training Program, New South Wales Ministry of Health, 73 Miller Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia.
BMC Public Health. 2013 May 2;13:426. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-426.
Dehydration is a health risk for miners in tropical regions of Australia. However, it is not known whether dehydration poses a health risk to miners working in temperate regions of Australia.
A cross-sectional study of 88 miners from two underground mines was undertaken in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Participants had their height, weight, waist circumference and hydration status measured and completed a self-administered questionnaire on fluid intake, access to water, and socio-demographic characteristics. Health and Safety managers were surveyed about guidelines relating to healthy work and lifestyle behaviours which impact/influence hydration.
Hydration tests indicated that more than half of the miners (approximately 58%) were dehydrated (Urinary Specific Gravity (USG) >1.020) both before and after their shift, with three workers pre-shift and four workers post-shift displaying clinical dehydration (USG>1.030). Overall, 54.0% of participants were overweight and 36.8% were obese. Miners who commenced the shift with poor hydration status were 2.6 times more likely to end the shift with poor hydration, compared to those who commenced the shift with good hydration (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.06, 6.44). Miners who had a mean USG result for the entire shift indicating dehydration were more likely to be obese (42.9%) and have a waist measurement in the high risk range for metabolic complications (40.8%) than those workers that were adequately hydrated for their entire shift (29.4% and 14.7% respectively). Some guidelines promoting healthy lifestyles and supportive work environments were in place, but there were limited guidelines on healthy weight and hydration.
Dehydration, being overweight and obesity were linked issues in this cohort of miners. Strategies are needed to: adapt the workplace environment to increase water accessibility; encourage appropriate consumption of water both at work and at home; and to promote physical activity and good nutrition to maintain healthy weight.
脱水是澳大利亚热带地区矿工的健康风险。然而，目前尚不清楚在澳大利亚温带地区工作的矿工是否存在脱水的健康风险。
在澳大利亚新南威尔士州东南部的两个地下矿山中，对 88 名矿工进行了横断面研究。参与者的身高、体重、腰围和水合状态进行了测量，并完成了一份关于液体摄入、获取水以及社会人口特征的自我管理问卷。健康和安全经理接受了关于影响/影响水合作用的健康工作和生活方式行为准则的调查。
水合测试表明，超过一半的矿工（约 58%）在轮班前和轮班后都脱水（尿比重（USG）>1.020），其中 3 名工人在轮班前和 4 名工人在轮班后出现临床脱水（USG>1.030）。总体而言，54.0%的参与者超重，36.8%肥胖。与轮班前水合状态良好的矿工相比，轮班前水合状态不佳的矿工在轮班结束时水合状态不佳的可能性高 2.6 倍（OR 2.6，95%CI 1.06，6.44）。整个轮班的平均 USG 结果显示脱水的矿工更有可能肥胖（42.9%），并且腰围测量值处于代谢并发症高风险范围（40.8%），而那些整个轮班都保持适当水合的工人分别为 29.4%和 14.7%。一些促进健康生活方式和支持性工作环境的准则已经到位，但关于健康体重和水合作用的准则有限。
脱水、超重和肥胖是该矿工队列中的关联问题。需要采取策略来：适应工作环境以增加水的可及性；鼓励在工作和家中适当饮水；促进体育活动和良好营养，以保持健康体重。
