These results were similar to those reported earlier that the risk of LBP increased if the height of cooking equipment did not suit the appropriate working height of the cooks [ 16, 32].
We found that the working height of cooking equipment, such as counter-tables, kitchen sinks, cauldrons, vegetable cutters, peelers, tableware washing machines, and tableware dryers was associated with the occurrence of LBP.
The median (interquartile range) of the working height of cooking equipment score was 2 (1–3).
The kitchen environment score and the working height of cooking equipment score were determined as follows: The kitchen environment score was estimated as the sum total of points indicating "no rest room," "wet floor system," "poor state of drainage," "presence of slippery places," "bumps and obstacles on the floor," and "noisy surroundings".
As for job-related factors, the number of cooked lunches per person (PR 1.28; 95% CI, 1.05 1.56), breaks in the morning session (PR 1.33; 95% CI, 1.13 1.56), kitchen environment (PR 1.09; 95%, CI, 1.03 1.15), and height of cooking equipment (PR 1.13; 95% CI, 1.08 1.19) were associated with the prevalence of low back pain.
The working height of cooking equipment score was estimated as the number of different categories of cooking equipment having inappropriate heights, including counter-tables, kitchen sinks, cauldrons, vegetable cutters and peelers, feeding and finishing parts of tableware washing machines, and hot wind tableware dryers.
