PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA, OBESITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Dr Pradnya G Atram; Dr Gajanan G Atram

Volume : IX, Issue : X, October - 2019

PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA, OBESITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Dr Pradnya G Atram, Dr Gajanan G Atram

Abstract :

Background: Anaemia is one of the most commonly recognized nutritional disorders and is still a major public health problem affecting millions of people all over the world, causes decreased physical and mental activity and also lowers intellectual performance. Adolescence is a vulnerable period in the human life cycle for the development of anaemia. Trend of fast food habit which is quite unhealthy, more popular in young population is giving rise to either under–nutrition or over–nutrition. Methods: The total sample size of the study was 150 subjects. Hb is estimated with Sahli’s method The cutoff hemoglobin level below 12.0 gm% was considered anaemia. The mean hemoglobin among student was 13.2gm % with standard deviation of 2.10. BMI was calculated by formula. Academic performance is observed. Statistical data was entered in Microsoft excel and was analysed using SPSS 16.0 version and chi square test for association. Results: Anaemia prevalence was 28% among medical students. Out of total 150 students 42 students were found anaemic and out of which prevalence of anaemia was higher among female students (45%) than male students (14.5%). Majority of students had Mild grade of anaemia. Prevalence of anaemia among normal weight was 47.6% followed by underweight 40.5%, and 12.% in pre–obese. The 73% of anaemic students scored less than 50 percent marks in examinations. Conclusions: Anaemia is prevalent in literate population like medical students, inspite of having good knowledge about balance diet and nutrition and oriented to its ill effect on health. BMI shows higher prevalence of anaemia among normal weight, followed by under–weight and pre–obese. As Anaemia is also associated with lower intellectual performance, the preventive programs and policies of the country can focus on this age group in professional educational institutes in same line with school health program, the cause of anaemia should be sought and treated in the upcoming doctors. .