ESTIMATION OF PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA, VITAMIN B12, FOLIC ACID & VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN FIRST YEAR MBBS STUDENTS OF A TERTIARY MEDICAL COLLEGE IN EASTERN INDIA

Abstract

Medical students are more vulnerable to develop nutritional anemia ( i.e. haemoglobin, iron , vit B12, folate deficiency) & vitamin D deficiency due to irregular eating habits & hectic study schedule. Anemia among this age group has significant health consequences ( e.g. poor cognition, decreased attention span , depressed immunity, repeated infections, increased fatigue etc) . So the present study was planned to ascertain the prevalence of anemia , iron , folic acid ,vit B12 & D deficiency among young adult female & male medical 1st year MBBS students of Medical College Kolkata,( batch 2019-2020) ,West Bengal,India and to suggest intervention strategies. 63 % & 37% female & male students respectively were found to be anaemic & low level of hemoglobin is significantly associated with type of family as 22% of study subject’s belonged to joint family and 78% subjects belong to nuclear family. (p=0.002) & there came out to be no significant association between socio-economic status and anemia (p=0.213) . Among these subjects with anemia 12 had iron deficiency . Serum folic acid levels were normal in the 100 study subjects . 30% students had low serum levels of vitamin B12 , and there was no gender preference (9 suffered from severe deficiency, 21 students were in low normal range) . In this study, moderate Vitamin D deficiency was found to be present in 42% subjects, mild insufficiency in 57% subjects, and adequate serum Vitamin D levels in just 1%. Periodical and routine health check-up and haemoglobin estimation of the students at the time of entrance to Medical Colleges should be done. Iron and folic acid tablets and deworming drugs in therapeutic doses should be provided to the anaemic students. Students should be motivated and educated to take balanced diet, rich in green leafy vegetables and fruits.