Relationship between Working Clothes and Oxidative Stress in Agricultural Workers

Agricultural workers are frequently exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which causes various diseases by inducing oxidative stress. This study aimed to assess the effects of working clothes on oxidative stress in the body. A total of 101 male and female agricultural workers were enrolled in this study. We measured urinary levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), an antioxidant indicator, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), an oxidative stress indicator. The urinary TAC of individuals who wore long pants and long-sleeved tops while working was significantly higher than that of individuals who wore short pants and short-sleeved tops. Urinary TBARS concentrations were not statistically significant but showed a tendency to decrease proportionally when wearing clothing that covered more exposed skin. We showed that shielding from UV radiation using clothing increased antioxidant capacity and also suppressed oxidative stress generation. The result of this pilot study suggests the need for further studies to confirm these relationships.