title: Evaluation of physical fitness and weight status among fisherwomen in relation to their occupational workload.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fisherwomen contribute significantly to the coastal economy of Eastern India; however, data about their physical fitness and weight status are scant.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present cross-sectional study was designed to investigate cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status of fisherwomen, which may be influenced by their occupational workload, using morphometric and anthropometric measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted among young fisherwomen (mean age 23.7 years) randomly selected from Araku, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and among young women who are not engaged in the fishing industry but are residents of Araku, who served as controls (mean age 21.3 years). Measurements of body composition included several anthropometric variables, while physical efficiency parameters included a physical fitness index (PFI), VO2max, total energy expenditure, and anaerobic capacity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference (p<0.05) in body mass index (BMI), body surface area (BSA), body fat percentage, diastolic blood pressure, fitness index, total energy expenditure, and anaerobic power was found in fisherwomen compared with controls. Analysis of collected data showed that the majority of the fisherwomen studied have a normal range of BMI (42%), but 6% of them were found to be mildly overweight. They also showed lower fat mass (13.5 [ ± 3.87]kg) and lower waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and conicity index. Additionally, they were found to have a moderate level of physical fitness (64.3 [ ± 1.97]%) and a higher total energy expenditure (4.92 [ ± 0.52]k.cal.min(-2)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study implies that physical fitness and weight status of young fisherwomen in Eastern India are influenced by their occupational workload.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Vidyasagar College for Women, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Electronic address: pallav_cu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Pallav
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Medical Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: elzbieta.krajewska@wp.pl.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krajewska-Kulak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anaerobic power; Body fat; Harvard step test; Physical fitness; Visakhapatnam