Nutritional Health Status Of Rural Women Practising Agriculture In Babati District Council

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to evaluate the nutritional health status of rural women engaged

in agriculture in three villages in Babati District, Manyara Region in Tanzania. A cross

section research design using structured questionnaire was employed to collect primary

and secondary data of 180 respondents. The weight and height were measured using a

digital weighing scale (SECA Vogel and Halke Hamburg Germany) and a locally made

device equipped with height gauges respectively. BMI was calculated using the formula:

BMI= [Weight/ Height² (kg/m. Descriptive analysis of data was carried out using SPSS

Windows Version 16.0. The results revealed that more than half (57.2%) of the

respondents had normal body weight (BMI=18.5-24.9) of which 68.9% were males and

45.6% were females. Further, it was revealed that the average female measured the body

height of 161 cm, body weight of 64.3 kg and BMI was 24.6 which is almost similar to the

mean (23.5) BMI for males. The study also showed that women spent more

time (five to seven hours) in the field. Moreover, the results revealed that

majority (82.2%) of females respondents participated in all agricultural activities.

However, statistical Chi-square test ( x2 = 26.68 , df =23and p =0.256 ) showed that

there was no significant difference in BMI between male and female farmers. It was

further revealed that the type of meal, frequency of meal, and food distribution within

members in the household favoured respondents’ BMI. However, household

responsibilities increased women’s workload. The study concludes that agricultural

production is not negatively affecting women farmer’s BMI. The study also recommends

that women must be empowered by enhancing their awareness, knowledge, skills and

appropriate technology so that agriculture production increases at a faster pace. Also,

linking production goals with nutrition-related targets is something that agricultural

planners and researchers are to be called upon to do more often.