A Study on the Anemia Frequency, Effecting Factors, and Eating Habits Among the Students at Ankara University

Abstract

Our aim is to deternıine anemia frequetıcy, effecting factors and eating habits amoung university students. Our research includes 200 students, 68% of them are females and 35% males, who recruited to Ankara University Medico Social Centre in 1999. A guestionnaire which contaitıs sociodemographical and socioeconomic characteristics, feeding habits, cigarette and alcohol usage, metıstrual cycle was applied. And their hemoglobin levels were measured. Chi-square and Student's t-test are used in statistical aııalysis. Anemia frequency is 13.5% in our group with a mean age o f 21.28 ± 2.32 year s. Anemia frequetıcy was found to be high in females, in ones with low income and in the otıes who miss nıeals. No differences are found in anemia frequency according to living places, cigarette smoking and alcohol usage, body mass index (BMl) levels and menstrual cycles. When \ve look at the eating habits, we see that 82.5% o f the group skips nıeals and 50.3% of the group doesnt eat anything between two meals. Meals are mostly eaten in school and at the dormitory dining halis. Students said that they eat unbalanced and insufficient diet. And added that the money they got is insufficient for healthy eating. As a conclusion in this study anemia and unbalanced eating is an important health problem fo r university students. Thus this sbbject must get the attention that it requires.