Quispe C, Gutierrez EL

Language: Spanish
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Page: 58-67
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ABSTRACT

Introduction: Young women are at an increased risk of anemia, because they need a greater iron intake for their body growth and because of losses of this mineral due to menstruation. Also during adolescence, eating disorders can occur that would lead to not ingesting an adequate supply of iron for its development.
Objective: To determine the frequency of food intake and anemia in high school adolescent girls from a Public National School of Lima.
Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study. Hemoglobin was measured by a portable hemoglobinometer. Nutritional status was assessed using the body mass index, according to WHO tables. The diet and frequency of food intake were assessed using multiple choice surveys.
Results: A total of 125 adolescents were included in this study. The frequency of anemia was 16 %. In the nutritional state, 81.6 % presented healthy weight, 13.6 % overweight and 4 % obesity. The most consumed food was bread (47.2 %) and the least consumed viscera (16.8 %); 28 % do not consume breakfast daily. Also, 48 % of students are worried about gaining weight, and 28 % of them do diets to lose weight.
Conclusions: A low percentage of anemia and obesity was observed in the population studied. A low percentage of students consumed iron-rich foods such as viscera. There are also a high percentage of students who are worried about gaining weight and who are dieting to lose weight.