1HOD, Department of Zoology at Ch. S.D. St. Theresa's Autonomous College for Women, Eluru
2Professor, Department of Community Medicine at Alluri Sita Rama Raju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru, A.P.
3Lecturer in Zoology, Ch. S.D. St. Theresa's Autonomous College for Women, Eluru
4Principal & Lecturer in Nutrition, Ch. S.D. St. Theresa's Autonomous College for Women, Eluru
5Lecturer in, Zoology, Ch. S.D. St. Theresa's Autonomous College for Women, Eluru
6Lecturer, in, Zoology, Ch. S.D. St. Theresa's Autonomous College for Women, Eluru
*Corresponding author: Dr. R Indira HOD, Department of Zoology, Ch. S.D. St. Theresa's Autonomous College for Women, Eluru, A.P., India.-534003 E-mail: indiramohanrao@rediffmail.com
Online published on 4 January, 2017.
Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world affecting more than 2 billion persons. Of all the age groups, adolescent and young age groups were more vulnerable to get anaemia and other nutritional disorders. Adverse eating habits in this age group in long run it affect the certain non communicable diseases commonly hypertension because of one area education stress and another area is lack of awareness about food pyramid concept and lack of nutritive value consciousness.
1. To estimate the body mass index among college students 2. To find the association with body mass index and anaemia 3. To determine the association of body mass index with hypertension.
A cross sectional study was conducted from June 2015 to July 2015 among Undergraduate and Postgraduate College students of Ch. S.D. St. Theresa's Autonomous College for Women between the age group of 19–23 years. A total of 278 students were participated and all the explained about the importance of the study and informed consent was taken from the participants. Haemoglobin estimation was performed by Sahli's Haemoglobinometer and observations were interpreted as per WHO criteria. Necessary statistical tests were applied.
Out of 278 students, 87.4% were in the age group of 19–20 yrs and only 12.6% were in 21–22 yrs age group. Out of 278 students, 12.2% (34/278) were obese/overweight. Among them 55.9% were in the age group of 21-22yrs and 44.1% were in 19–20 yrs. There was statistically significant association was found between age group and body mass index. Those students BMI < 25, the prevalence of anaemia was 28.2% and other students BMI > 25, the prevalence of anaemia was 8.8%. Decreasing BMI increases the anaemia prevalence. Increasing BMI increases the hypertension and 9.7% of the students were in the pre hypertension stage where life style modifications to addressed properly.
Based on the above study results, prevalence of anaemia is relatively low as it is comparatively national average anaemia prevalence among young age group students. On the other hand Body mass index is increasing and also BMI significantly associated with hypertension (P<0.01). Low BMI people have high prevalence of anaemia in the study population.
Age, Anaemia, BMI, Hypertension
