KOREASCHOLAR

Since 1982, female agricultural workers are populous than male in Korea. Previous study was suggested that female workers are more sensitive to the agricultural medicine poisoning than male. This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the impact on plasma components and nutrient intakes in female agricultural workers by the use of pesticides. Data were obtained from 44 females residing in Wonjoo, Kangwon-do area. Analysis for the general characteristics, nutrient intakes, and plasma components of the subjects were performed by physical examination, 24-hour recall method and venous blood sampling. They were divided into 3 groups according to the degree of the pesticide use: 8 in none(Non-expose group), 14 in low(〈4/yr)(Low-expose group), and 22 in high(≥4/yr)(High-expose group). The results are summarized as follows. Serum glucose, SGOT, SGPT, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol did not correlated with pesticide use and were not different among the groups. But serum total cholesterol was higher in pesticide use group. With increasing the number of pesticide use times, leukocyte count was tended to increased. Eighty two percent of the subjects were hemoglobin less than or equal to 12g/dl. Hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, serum Fe, Serum ferritin belonged to normal range and did not correlated with pesticide use. Intake of energy, Fe, vitamin B2 were lower than RDA. Fe, K, and vitamin A intake were higher in don't use group than the other groups. There are not many differences according to using the pesticide in anthropometric measurements, nutrient intakes, and blood components, except for serum total cholesterol level and some nutrients intake. But these results suggest the need the systemic researches about the effects the pesticide using on nutritional status in Korean agricultural workers.

• 장문정 | Chang, Moon-Jung
• 김연중 | Kim, Yeon-Joong
• 김우경 | Kim, Woo-Kyung
• 이현숙 | Lee, Hyun-Sook