Wiafe Michael Akenteng, Apprey Charles, Annan Reginald Adjetey
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Ashanti Ghana.
Food Sci Nutr. 2021 Apr 2;9(6):2915-2924. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2249. eCollection 2021 Jun.
The study assessed knowledge and practices of dietary iron intake and anemia among early adolescents in the Asante-Akim Municipality of Ghana. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 137 adolescents, aged 10-14 years. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic, knowledge of iron, and anemia, and iron intake practices. Hemoglobin levels were determined using Hemocue 301. Data were analyzed using descriptive, chi-square test, and binary logistics regression. The mean age of participants was 11.5 years. About 40% had knowledge of iron deficiency anemia, 29.4% knew anemia causes, 86% knew symptoms of anemia, and 35% knew anemia consequences. Although 41.2% of participants knew its prevention as eating iron-rich foods, 31.4% knew the food sources of iron, and 4.4% mentioned animal-based foods as rich sources, with the bulk (27%) mentioning plant-based foods instead. Moreover, 18.2% knew iron enhancers, while 0.7% knew iron inhibitors. More chicken consumers (72.2%) than nonconsumers (56.6%) met the Estimated Average Requirement for dietary iron intake (Chi-square 3.4, = .073), while more dried fish consumers (88%) than nonconsumers (66.7%) had normal hemoglobin levels (Chi-square 4.5, = .050). Knowledge of food sources of iron and iron-rich foods was positively associated with intake of chicken, fresh fish, and dried fish. Moreover, lower knowledge of iron-based food sources (β = -1.015, = .020) and iron-rich foods (β = -2.188, = .015) was inversely associated with beef intake. Anemia was negatively associated with chicken (β = -0.310, = .416) and dried fish (β = -1.299, = .045) consumption. Majority of the adolescents had low knowledge of iron. Chicken and dried fish intake reduced the risk of anemia development. Our study may be the first to assess knowledge on iron, anemia, and its impact among young Ghanaian adolescents. Our findings provide insights into this topic, calling for to improve knowledge, and practices on anemia in Ghanaian adolescents.
该研究评估了加纳阿桑特-阿基姆市青少年早期膳食铁摄入与贫血的知识和行为。对137名年龄在10至14岁的青少年进行了一项横断面研究。使用结构化问卷收集关于社会人口统计学、铁知识、贫血知识以及铁摄入行为的数据。使用Hemocue 301测定血红蛋白水平。数据采用描述性分析、卡方检验和二元逻辑回归进行分析。参与者的平均年龄为11.5岁。约40%的人了解缺铁性贫血，29.4%的人知道贫血的病因，86%的人知道贫血的症状，35%的人知道贫血的后果。虽然41.2%的参与者知道通过食用富含铁的食物来预防贫血，31.4%的人知道铁的食物来源，4.4%的人提到动物性食物是丰富的来源，但大多数人（27%）提到的是植物性食物。此外，18.2%的人知道铁的促进剂，而0.7%的人知道铁的抑制剂。食用鸡肉的人（72.2%）比不食用鸡肉的人（56.6%）更符合膳食铁摄入的估计平均需求量（卡方=3.4，P=0.073），而食用干鱼的人（88%）比不食用干鱼的人（66.7%）血红蛋白水平正常（卡方=4.5，P=0.050）。对铁的食物来源和富含铁的食物的了解与鸡肉、鲜鱼和干鱼的摄入量呈正相关。此外，对铁基食物来源（β=-1.015，P=0.020）和富含铁的食物（β=-2.188，P=0.015）的了解较少与牛肉摄入量呈负相关。贫血与鸡肉（β=-0.310，P=0.416）和干鱼（β=-1.299，P=0.045）的消费呈负相关。大多数青少年对铁的了解较少。摄入鸡肉和干鱼可降低患贫血的风险。我们的研究可能是首个评估加纳年轻青少年对铁、贫血及其影响的知识的研究。我们的研究结果为该主题提供了见解，呼吁改善加纳青少年对贫血的知识和行为。
