Assessment of Nutritional Status of Female Home Care Nurses (20-35 Years) From a Select Health Care Facility and the Conduct of a Nutrition Education Programme

Abstract

This study assessed the nutritional status of female home care nurses and evaluated the effectiveness of a structured nutrition education intervention. A cross-sectional design was adopted among 100 participants aged 20–35 years from selected healthcare services. Data were collected using standardized anthropometric measurements, blood pressure dietary assessment methods, and pre-test and post-test questionnaire. Nutritional status was determined using Body Mass Index (BMI) classification. The results revealed a diverse distribution of participants across BMI categories, indicating the presence of underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese individuals. Unhealthy dietary behaviors, including meal skipping and frequent consumption of energy-dense foods, were commonly reported. Following the intervention, a significant improvement in participants’ nutritional knowledge and dietary practices was observed. The study concludes that targeted nutrition education interventions are effective in improving dietary behaviors and highlights the need for continuous nutrition awareness programs among healthcare professionals.

Introduction

The text explains that nutritional status plays a crucial role in the health, performance, and well-being of nurses, especially female home care nurses who often work under stressful and irregular conditions. Poor dietary habits, shift work, stress, sleep disturbances, and physical inactivity are identified as major factors that negatively affect their nutrition and increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases. The study highlights that nurses frequently experience irregular meal patterns, emotional eating, and inadequate access to healthy food, which further worsens their health outcomes.

The research focuses on assessing the nutritional status of female home care nurses (aged 20–35 years) in South Chennai and evaluating the impact of a structured Nutrition Education Programme. Using a descriptive evaluative design with 100 participants, data were collected through questionnaires, dietary recall, and anthropometric measurements before and after an educational intervention.

Key findings show that most participants are young, predominantly single, and moderately active, with generally good sleep quality but irregular lifestyle habits influenced by shift work. Many participants also show limited awareness of nutrition’s role in health and menstrual well-being.

Conclusion

The present study clearly demonstrates that female home care nurses working in shift systems are at a significantly higher risk of poor nutritional status, overweight, and metabolic health disorders. This increased risk can be attributed to a combination of factors such as irregular dietary habits, frequent consumption of refined and convenience foods, inadequate intake of essential nutrients, low levels of physical activity, and disturbed sleep patterns associated with shift work. These occupational and lifestyle-related challenges disrupt normal metabolic functioning and contribute to the development of obesity and other non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, the presence of a family history of conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases indicates an underlying genetic predisposition, which further elevates their vulnerability when combined with unhealthy behaviors. The nutrition education program implemented as part of this study proved to be effective in enhancing the knowledge and awareness of participants regarding balanced diets, appropriate meal timing, portion control, and the importance of incorporating nutrient-rich foods into their daily routine. This improvement in awareness highlights the potential of educational interventions as a practical and cost-effective approach to promoting healthier lifestyles among healthcare workers. However, it is important to recognize that knowledge alone may not lead to immediate behavioral change, especially in the presence of occupational constraints such as long working hours, night shifts, and limited access to healthy food options. Therefore, sustained efforts, continuous reinforcement, and supportive workplace environments are essential to ensure the successful translation of knowledge into long-term healthy practices. Overall, the findings of this study emphasize the need for a comprehensive and integrated approach to improving the health and well-being of home care nurses. This includes regular nutrition education programmes, promotion of physical activity, stress management strategies, and organizational support in the form of healthy food availability and better work scheduling. Such multi-level interventions can significantly reduce health risks and improve quality of life. Future research should focus on long-term follow-up studies to assess the sustainability of behavioral changes, inclusion of biochemical parameters for more accurate health assessment, and evaluation of intervention effectiveness over time. This will help in developing more targeted and evidence-based strategies to address the nutritional and health challenges faced by shift-working healthcare professionals.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 V Durga, Dr. Sheba Sangeetha Jeyaraj. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.