Amani Reza, Soflaei Maryam
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Paramedicine, Ahvaz Jundi-Shapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Food Nutr Bull. 2006 Sep;27(3):260-4. doi: 10.1177/156482650602700309.
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency worldwide. Iron-deficiency anemia has particular negative consequences on women in their childbearing years, and its prevention is a high priority in most health systems.
This interventional study assessed the effect of nutrition education on hematologic indices, iron status, nutritional knowledge, and nutritional practices of high-school girls in Iran.
Sixty healthy 16- to 18-year-old girls were randomly selected from two high schools in the city of Ahvaz and divided into two equally matched groups, one that received nutrition education, and one that did not. The education group received instruction in face-to-face sessions, group discussions, and pamphlets for 2 months. The control group did not receive any information during the study. Hematologic tests, corpuscular indices, and serum ferritin levels were measured at baseline and after 2 months. Food-frequency questionnaires were administered and histories taken, clinical signs of nutritional deficiencies observed, anthropometric measurements taken, nutritional knowledge tested, practices determined, and lifestyle questionnaires administered to all subjects.
There were no statistically significant differences in any baseline characteristics between the two groups. Scores for nutritional knowledge and practices of the education group were significantly higher after two months compared with the baseline (31.4 +/- 6 vs. 24.3 +/- 5.9 points, p < .001, and 31.2 +/- 5 vs. 28.4 +/- 5.7 points, p < .05, respectively). The scores in the control group showed no significant changes from baseline to 2 months. Mean corpuscular volume values were elevated in the education group (p < .001) but not in the control group. However, in the control group, serum ferritin concentrations showed about a 17% drop at the end of the study (p < .004). There were no changes in other hematologic, lifestyle, clinical, or anthropometric data compared with baseline after completion of the study in both groups.
These findings indicate that nutritional education can improve knowledge of healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices. Focused nutritional education using available resources and correcting current dietary habits in a vulnerable group of young women may result in dietary changes that can ultimately improve iron intake.
缺铁性贫血是全球最普遍的营养缺乏症。缺铁性贫血对育龄妇女有特别负面的影响，在大多数卫生系统中，其预防是高度优先事项。
这项干预性研究评估了营养教育对伊朗高中女生血液学指标、铁状态、营养知识和营养实践的影响。
从阿瓦士市的两所高中随机选取60名16至18岁的健康女孩，分为两个匹配度相同的组，一组接受营养教育，另一组不接受。教育组通过面对面授课、小组讨论和发放宣传册的方式接受了2个月的指导。对照组在研究期间未接受任何信息。在基线和2个月后测量血液学检查、血细胞指标和血清铁蛋白水平。对所有受试者进行食物频率问卷调查并记录病史，观察营养缺乏的临床体征，进行人体测量，测试营养知识，确定营养实践，并发放生活方式问卷。
两组在任何基线特征方面均无统计学显著差异。两个月后，教育组的营养知识和实践得分与基线相比显著更高（分别为31.4±6分对24.3±5.9分，p<.001；31.2±5分对28.4±5.7分，p<.05）。对照组的得分从基线到2个月没有显著变化。教育组的平均红细胞体积值升高（p<.001），而对照组没有。然而，在对照组中，血清铁蛋白浓度在研究结束时下降了约17%（p<.004）。两组研究结束后，与基线相比，其他血液学、生活方式、临床或人体测量数据均无变化。
这些发现表明，营养教育可以提高对健康营养和生活方式选择的认识。利用现有资源进行有针对性的营养教育，并纠正年轻女性这一弱势群体当前的饮食习惯，可能会导致饮食改变，最终改善铁的摄入量。
