Anaemia is associated with reduced productivity of women workers even in less-physically-strenuous tasks

While many studies show reduced work output in heavy labour with poor nutritional status, data among less-physically-strenuous industrial occupations is scarce. In the present study the output of ninety-two women jute-factory workers over a 1-month period was measured together with haemoglobin, BMI, arm muscle and fat area, physical work capacity (maximum O2 consumption; VO2max), as well as socio-economic, health and activity variables. A significant correlation was found between haemoglobin and work output, which remained significant (P < 0.005) after a multiple-regression analysis with other potentially confounding factors. Anaemic workers and those with VO2max values less than 1.5 l/min were significantly less active at home than non-anaemic workers (P < 0.015). Anaemic women produced an average of 5.3% less in the factory and performed an average of 6.5 h less housework per week.