Determinants of Nutritional Anemia in Adolescents.

OBJECTIVES

To associate the severity of nutritional anaemia with serum levels of ferritin, vitamin B12 and folate; and to determine demographic, socio-economic and nutritional correlates for nutritional anemia in adolescents.

METHODS

Cross-sectional hospital-based study among 200 adolescents (10-18 y) with anemia. Dietary intake (24-h recall), and serum levels of folate, vitamin B12 and ferritin were estimated.

RESULTS

Iron, folate and vitamin B12 deficiency was present in 30.5% 79.5% and 50% of adolescents, respectively. Statistically significant association was observed between severity of anemia and serum vitamin B12 levels, iron intake, folate intake, Vitamin B12 intake, vegetarian diet, attainment of menarche and history of worm infestation.

CONCLUSIONS

Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies are more common than iron deficiency in anemic adolescents. Low dietary intake of these nutrients seems to be a significant determinant of their deficiencies.