Abstract

This study was carried out to examine information regarding usage of health improving agents and health status of male workers in the Chonnam Yeosu industrial area. We obtained data by means of a questionnaire from 329 men. Of the subjects 44.7% were in their forties, high school education was 43.0%, married was 83.0% and 1,500~3,000 thousand won in monthly income was 35.8%. Average height and weight of the subjects was 171.8 +/-5.4 cm and 70.5 +/-8.1 kg. Average BMI was 23.8 +/-2.2. Drinking rate of respondents was 85.5%, the drinking rate of daily workers was significantly higher than rotation workers (p < 0.05). Rotation workers exercised more regularly than daily workers (p < 0.001). Subjective symptoms of the subjects always had eye problems (11.7%), shoulder aches (5.8%), ache in one's empty stomach (4.7%) in decreasing order. 21.4% of the subjects had a disease, and liver disease was the highest in the subjects; the second was cardio-vascular disease. Interval of health food intake was highly irregular (62.7% of respondents), and keeping healthy was the main motivation for the usage of health foods. Health improving agents included oriental medicine, animal protein based restorative foods, nutrition supplements, health supplements, and natural foods. 33.3% of the subjects took health supplements, nutrition supplements (29.1%), oriental medicine (20.6%), natural foods (16.7%) and animal protein based restorative foods (3.9%), in respective order. Health improving agents were consumed higher in liver disease than other diseases. This study suggests that nutritional education and monitoring should be implemented for industrial workers to prevent life-habit diseases and to keep proper self-management of health status under special environments.

• Keywords: Yeosu industrial area; male workers; health status; health improving agents