School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom.
National Nutrition Center, Ministry of Health and Sports, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2020 May;1468(1):35-54. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14370. Epub 2020 May 12.
Malnutrition can adversely influence women's overall health and development and that of their children. In the Yangon region of Myanmar, young women aged 15-19 years can be excessively thin, overweight, or anemic. A significant proportion of these young women working within the formal sector are employed in the garment industry. This study used a mixed-method approach to generate robust evidence on food security and nutrition in young female garment workers. The research revealed that women have poor quality of nutrition, restricted their food intake, and ate less preferred food. The risk factors for not meeting the minimum dietary diversity were related to migration patterns, employment, food security level, and living conditions. This study offers recommendations and identifies areas for interventions that are either wanted by consulted stakeholders and/or for which there is an evidence basis for their recommendation: (1) promote food- and nutrition-specific programming, (2) increase healthy food access, and (3) improve employment conditions. These future interventions should generate comprehensive research, data, and benefits to fill in the evidence gaps identified and provide guidance on how to promote nutrition in the workplace for this vulnerable group of workers.
营养不良会对妇女的整体健康和儿童的健康和发育产生不利影响。在缅甸仰光地区，15-19 岁的年轻女性可能会过于瘦弱、超重或贫血。在正规部门工作的这些年轻女性中，有相当一部分在服装行业工作。本研究采用混合方法为年轻女性制衣工人的粮食安全和营养问题提供了有力的证据。研究表明，女性的营养质量较差，限制了她们的食物摄入量，而且吃的是不太喜欢的食物。无法满足最低饮食多样性的风险因素与移民模式、就业、粮食安全水平和生活条件有关。本研究提出了建议，并确定了干预领域，这些领域要么是利益相关者所要求的，要么是有证据支持其建议的：（1）促进粮食和营养方面的方案；（2）增加健康食品的获取；（3）改善就业条件。这些未来的干预措施应该产生全面的研究、数据和效益，以填补确定的证据空白，并就如何促进这一脆弱工人群体的工作场所营养提供指导。
