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. 2014 Jan 27;9(1):e87423.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087423. eCollection 2014.

Association between farming and chronic energy deficiency in rural South India

Affiliations

Association between farming and chronic energy deficiency in rural South India

Asvini K Subasinghe et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objective: To examine factors associated with chronic energy deficiency (CED) and anaemia in disadvantaged Indian adults who are mostly involved in subsistence farming.

Design: A cross-sectional study in which we collected information on socio-demographic factors, physical activity, anthropometry, blood haemoglobin concentration, and daily household food intake. These data were used to calculate body mass index (BMI), basal metabolic rate (BMR), daily energy expenditure, and energy and nutrient intake. Multivariable backward stepwise logistic regression was used to assess socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with CED (defined as BMI<18 kg/m2) and anaemia.

Setting: The study was conducted in 12 villages, in the Rishi Valley, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Subjects: Individuals aged 18 years and above, residing in the 12 villages, were eligible to participate.

Results: Data were available for 1178 individuals (45% male, median age 36 years (inter quartile range (IQR 27-50)). The prevalence of CED (38%) and anaemia (25%) was high. Farming was associated with CED in women (2.20, 95% CI: 1.39-3.49) and men (1.71, 95% CI: (1.06-2.74). Low income was also significantly associated with CED, while not completing high school was positively associated with anaemia. Median iron intake was high: 35.7 mg/day (IQR 26-46) in women and 43.4 mg/day (IQR 34-55) in men.

Conclusions: Farming is an important risk factor associated with CED in this rural Indian population and low dietary iron is not the main cause of anaemia. Better farming practice may help to reduce CED in this population.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Prevalence of Anaemia and CED in men and women aged 18 years and over.
Panel 1A shows data for ‘not low’ income families (>1,000 rupees per month) while panel 1B shows data for low income families (≤1,000 rupees per month). Anaemia was defined according to WHO individual haemoglobin (Hb) levels: Hb <12 g/dL for non-pregnant women, Hb <11 g/dL for pregnant women, and Hb <13 g/dL for men. CED was defined in both genders as a BMI <18 kg/m2. (n = 524 men and 635 women). Error bars show 95% Confidence Intervals. Black bars show data for men and white bars show data for women. ** denotes significance at p<0.001;* denotes significance at p<0.05.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Prevalence of daily nutrient and energy intake deficiencies in men and women aged 18 years and over.
Panel 2A shows data for ‘not low’ income families (>1,000 rupees per month) while panel 2B shows data for low income families (≤1,000 rupees per month). (n = 524 men and 635 women). Error bars show 95% Confidence Intervals. Black bars show data for men and white bars show data for women.

References

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