Nutritional status and prevalence of anemia in rural adolescents

Authors

  • Ezhilarasu Ramalingam Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Sivaraman Thirumalaikumarasamy Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Balakrishnan Nadesan Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Mani Madhavan Sachithanantha Mooorthi Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20172513

Keywords:

Nutritional status, Prevalence of anemia, School going and non-school going adolescents

Abstract

Background: In developing countries like India, the adolescents constituting one fourth of population are not given the due importance in terms of resource allocation on health care or research. Thus, painting a lopsided picture of adolescent’s health and nutritional status is not truly reflective of ground realities. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of the adolescent community residing in rural block and the prevalence of anemia among these adolescents.

Methods: The study was a community based cross sectional survey among adolescents of 10 to 19 years of both sexes, from October 2004 to March 2006. Nutritional status, hemoglobin and prevalence of anemia were observed.

Results: Under nutrition was found to be a significant problem in both sexes of rural adolescents. Anemia was more common in female than in male in both school going and non-school going.

Conclusions: The significant number of anemic is in the middle adolescent age group, could be explained by the fact that menarche is attained around 12 years and the first few cycles are irregular with increased blood loss. So, any policy towards low birth weight and neonatal mortality needs the policy makers to make a note of this alarming trend of anemia among adolescent girls. 

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Published

2017-06-21

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Original Research Articles