Nutrition & Health

Biography

Biography: Dilum R Weliwita

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: Th e number of women pursuing careers outside of home has increased tremendously during the recent years. Family structure is changing into nuclear, which lacks the support system which was found in the traditional extended family system. In an attempt to balance the demands of work and home, skipping breakfast and consumption of a rushed unhealthy breakfast are common practices among working women in Sri Lanka. Breakfast is oft en referred to as ‘the most important meal of the day’. Regular consumption of healthy breakfast is paramount in ensuring health and wellbeing of women of reproductive age. Th e purpose of this study is to obtain an understanding of the degree of awareness regarding the importance of breakfast the mong working women in Sri Lanka. Methodology: A Descriptive Cross Sectional Study was performed, with a sample selected from GCE Advanced Level batches of 1998, -2001 from the leading girls’ schools in Colombo. Th is includes 35 women from each batch were randomly selected to get total sample of 105. Findings: Th e Minitab statistical analysis soft ware was used for analysis of data. Th e proportion of subjects who had good knowledge on the importance of regular breakfast and consequences of skipping breakfast was amounted to 53%, while 27% had fair knowledge, and 20% of the subjects had poor knowledge respectively. Conclusion: One in fi ve (20%) urban working Sri Lankan women ,with an education level of GCE (A/L) or above is lacking in adequate knowledge on health benefi ts of regular consumption of breakfast and also consequences of skipping breakfast. Th e most common reasons for skipping breakfast are subjective, and not based on lack of time for preparation or unavailability of food items.