Identifying factors influencing construction workers’ food choices in Gauteng, South Africa: A pilot investigation
- Authors: Okoro, C. , Musonda, I. , Agumba, J.
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Construction , Health and safety , Nutrition
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/390987 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/122323 , uj:20639 , Citation: Okoro, C, Musonda, I. & Agumba, J. 2016. Identifying factors influencing construction workers’ food choices in Gauteng, South Africa: A pilot investigation.
- Description: Abstract: Background: Nutrition is linked with health and safety performance of workers. However, there is scant literature focusing on the nutrition of construction workers, especially in South Africa. Methods: This pilot study investigated the factors that influence the nutrition of construction workers. A survey was conducted and data were analysed using Microsoft Excel to determine mean scores and to rank the factors. Results: Nutritional knowledge, economic factors and physiological factors were identified as influencing construction workers’ food choices. Conclusion: These findings provide information that can be used for targeting construction workers’ nutrition which could, in turn, improve health and safety performance on construction sites. Identifying nutrition-influencing factors allows for the design of intervention programmes for construction workers.
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A correlation study of nutrition and factors influencing food choices among construction workers
- Authors: Okoro, C. , Musonda, I. , Agumba, J.
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Construction workers - Nutrition , Construction workers - Health and hygiene
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/55274 , uj:16273 , Citation: Okoro, C., Musonda, I. & Agumba, J. 2015. A correlation study of nutrition and factors influencing food choices among construction workers. In: Mojekwu, J.N. et al. (eds.) Proceedings of 4th Applied Research Conference in Africa (ARCA) Conference, 27-29 August 2015, Ibadan, Nigeria:212-225. , ISBN: 978-9988-2-2066-2
- Description: Abstract: Nutrition is known to be linked with worker health and safety (H&S) performance. Literature suggests that construction workers have poor nutrition and this adversely affects their health, wellbeing and safety on construction sites. Strategies to improve their nutrition warrant considerable attention. This paper aims to identify significant relationships between factors influencing nutrition and the food choices of construction workers. Empirical data for the correlational study were collected through a field questionnaire survey on site construction workers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Principal components analysis and Pearson‘s correlation analysis were conducted. Findings revealed that food context, nutritional knowledge, resources and personal ideas and systems were significantly associated with choice of foods. By highlighting the factors which are correlated with nutritional choices amongst construction workers, the study provides valuable evidence which will allow for the development and implementation of efficient and successful intervention programs geared towards improving construction workers' nutrition and thus site safety performance.
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Development of a scale for assessing determinants of construction workers’ food choices
- Authors: Okoro, C. , Musonda, I. , Agumba, J.
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Construction workers , Factors , Food choice
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/214963 , uj:21347 , Citation: Okoro, C., Musonda, I & Agumba, J. 2016. Development of a scale for assessing determinants of construction workers’ food choices.
- Description: Abstract: Research on the factors influencing construction workers’ food choices and overall nutrition is limited, in South Africa and indeed Africa. The aim of the present paper is to develop and validate a questionnaire of factors influencing construction workers’ food choices. A quantitative, purposive approach was used in the study. Fourty-two items, divided into six constructs, were used to develop a field survey questionnaire after an extensive literature review. Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted to examine the structures and validity of the constructs. Cronbach’s alpha test and mean inter-item correlations were used to examine internal consistency reliability. After repeated factor analysis, the questionnaire of food choice factors revealed seven different factors: food context, biological factors, nutritional knowledge, personal ideas and systems, economic factors, resources and cultural background. These factors explained 60.09% variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from 0.62 to 0.85, indicating good internal consistency reliability. The factors which influence construction workers’ food choices are important considerations when designing and implementing nutrition interventions in the South African construction industry. Future research can adopt the instrument when conducting psychometric assessments of construction workers’ food choices.
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