The Association Between Work Ability and Body Composition Among Thai Farm Workers
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Higher skeletal muscle and lower body fat improve farm workers' work ability. Maintaining healthy body composition is key to enhancing physical performance and capacity in agricultural settings.
Area Of Science
- Occupational Health
- Sports Science
- Human Physiology
Background
- Farm work demands high physical exertion, increasing risks of musculoskeletal disorders.
- Body composition, specifically skeletal muscle and fat percentages, significantly influences work ability (WA).
Purpose Of The Study
- To investigate the association between body composition and work ability in Thai farm workers.
- To identify key body composition factors that enhance or impede physical performance in agricultural labor.
Main Methods
- A cross-sectional study involving 126 Thai corn farm workers.
- Data collection included questionnaires for demographics, health behaviors, and Work Ability Index (WAI).
- Body composition analysis measured body mass index, body fat percentage (BFP), subcutaneous fat percentage (SFP), and skeletal muscle percentage (SMP).
Main Results
- A significant positive association was observed between WA and skeletal muscle percentage (SMP) across the whole body and its segments (p < 0.001).
- Work ability (WA) showed a significant negative association with subcutaneous fat percentage (SFP) in the trunk and legs (p < 0.01), and overall body fat percentage (BFP) (p < 0.001).
- 42.9% of participants demonstrated good WA, with an average WAI score of 37.3.
Conclusions
- Higher skeletal muscle percentage is crucial for improving farm workers' work ability.
- Reducing body fat percentage, particularly subcutaneous fat, enhances physical performance and work capacity.
- Promoting healthy body composition is essential for optimizing the physical capabilities of the agricultural workforce.
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