A study to establish a simple, reliable and economical method of evaluating food and nutritional intake ofmale mineworkers residing in a single accommodation residence on a platinum mine in the North West Province

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: The study investigated the development of a simple, cost effective method to monitor food and nutritional intake of mineworkers residing in a Single Accommodation Village (SAV) by using food inventory data.Objectives: The aim of the study was to calculate average food and nutrient intake per mineworker using household data, assess actual food intake (individual data), determine food wastage and to compare food and nutritional intake between group and individual data.Methodology: The study design was a cross-sectional, observational study with an analytical component. The study population consisted of male mineworkers residing in a SAV on a platinum mine in the North West Province and included mineworkers performing mainly underground tasks. A census sampling method was used to select mineworkers participating in the study, and a pilot study was done to test the proposed study process. The study was conducted over five days, which included one weekend day. Food inventory data was recorded by capturing all food quantities (weight measured in kilogram) used for food preparation on the study days. The yield of the prepared food and expected meal participation was used to calculate an average intake per mineworker according to the household record method. An observational study was done to establish the food record data. Meal as well as food item participation was recorded. Food wastage was determined by weighing the production as well as the plate wastage and this data was used to ascertain average food intake per mineworker.Results: Approximately 700 mineworkers participated in the study. The study recorded a 96% meal participation measured against the planned participation figures during the main meal with 74% participating in all menu items. The values for breakfast and dinner were 95% meal participation for both meals with 87% menu item participation during breakfast and 82% during dinner. By using the t-distribution test it was recorded that limited values measured between the food inventory data and the food record data fell within the 95% confidence intervals even after correction for food wastage. However, when the planned participation used to calculate the household data was incorporated into an equation using actual participation data, the values fell within the 95% confidence interval demonstrating that with 95% certainty the planned values (when calculated according to the suggested equation) were within those values observed during the study.Conclusion: Household data can be used as a tool to monitor average individual food and nutritional intake of mineworkers; however both planned and actual menu item participation figures should be considered, together with the total wastage per food item. This tool can be adapted to be used in industrial catering units to monitor food and nutritional intake, which will enable identification of food or nutrient deficiencies and timeous implementation of intervention strategies.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University