The Impact of BMI on the Health Status of Tea Plantation Workers in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Body mass index plays a crucial role in preventing diseases and promoting health. The study shows that the nutritional status among tea plantation workers significantly changes socio-economic and health promotion, based on creating the modelling of occupational health and nutritional status of tea plantation workers. This study examines the nutritional status of tea plantation workers, focusing on its significant relationship with age wise variation. The Nilgiris district, located in the northwestern corner of Tamil Nadu, Southern India, served as the study area. Data were collected from through stratified random sampling, resulting in a sample size of 300 tea plantation workersacrossallsix taluks. Z-scores, a statistical measure indicating a score's relation to the mean across variables, were utilised to analyze the data.The Z score is a statistical measurement of a score’s relationship to the mean in a group of variables. Given that body mass index (BMI) significantly affects the occupational health and socio-economic status of tea plantation workers, addressing morbidity levels prevalent in this population is imperative. The results reveal significant spatial and age-wise disparities in nutritional status. Taluks such as Gudalur and Pandalur exhibit a higher prevalence of underweight conditions, while Coonoor and Udhagamandalam show relatively optimal BMI levels. The findings indicate that socio-economic conditions, inadequate dietary intake, and occupational factors strongly influence the nutritional health of workers. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers to design targeted health and nutrition interventions for tea plantation communities.This research, employing statistical modelling, offers valuable insights for health policy decision-making regarding future tea plantation workers.