Determinants of Anemia Among Adolescents Girls

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relative significance of various factors contributing to anemia in adolescent girls of lower socioeconomic status. METHODS: A random sample of 100 adolescent girls (15 to 19 years), selected from 300 adolescents girls living in a poor urban settlement, of Navi Mumbai, India have participated in the study. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemography, anthropometry, three-day dietary intake, food frequency, blood hemoglobin, serum ferritin and stool parasites. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of anemia was 30% and among them 95% of the anemic girls were iron deficient. The mean dietary iron intake was 9.4 mg per day, predominantly from the consumption of cereals, pulses, and vegetables. Intake of different nutrients were almost inadequate among the participants. Blood hemoglobin was significantly correlated with Body Mass Index, dietary intake of fat, protein, iron, folic acid and riboflavin. Serum ferritin was related with vitamin B(12). The parasitic infestation was low among the study participants. CONCLUSIONS: An inadequate intake of dietary iron, and concurrent inadequate intake of dietary micronutrients appear to be the primary factors responsible for anemia and iron deficiency in adolescent girls. Nutrition interventions on identified associated factors are important to reduce the burden of anemia among adolescents girls. FUNDING SOURCES: The researcher had received funds from MGM Institute of Health Sciences, Navi Mumbai for research work.