Abstract:
Objective To investigate the status of nutrition and health literacy of migrant workers in a construction site, and to provide basis for relevant policy making.
Methods A total of 380 male migrant workers in a construction site were cluster sampled for a hybrid survey by self-administered questionnaire and interview. Nutrition literacy and dietary behavior data were analyzed by t test, ANOVA and χ2 test.
Results Among the migrant workers investigated, the average score of nutrition knowledge was 9.1& #177;2.8, and the awareness rate was 37.9%. There was a significant difference in the average scores between low score group (8.1& #177;2.1, awareness rate:33.8%) and high score group (13.0& #177;1.1, awareness rate:54.2%) (P < 0.05). Education was a significant influencing factor of average score (P < 0.05). The proportion for occasional or no eating/drinking of milk, eggs, fruits, animal liver, bean products and meat in migrant workers was 90.0%, 66.5%, 60.5%, 92.9%, 57.6% and 45.6% respectively, and that was significantly higher in the low score group (91.8%, 70.4%, 65.1%, 95.0%, 58.9% and 48.7% respectively) than in the high score group (82.9%, 51.3%, 42.1%, 84.3%, 52.6% and 32.9% respectively) (P < 0.05).
Conclusion Migrant workers show low levels of nutrition and health literacy and poor dietary behavior. Nutrition education should be provided to this group of workers.