NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY ANEMIA; ROLE OF JUNK FOOD IN NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY ANEMIA AMONG YOUNGSTERS.

Nutritional anemia is emerging health issue affecting all the age groups but more prevalent among the youngsters due to poor eating habits and consumption of more junk food which lacks essential ingredients. The aim is to determine the frequency of anemia and to find its association with junk food among medical students. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Comprises of 100 students was conducted at Aziz Fatimah Medical and Dental College Faisalabad. Period: Six months, 01-01-2017 to 30-06-2017. Methodology: After ethical approval all relevant information including age, height, BMI, consumption of junk food and other dietary habits were taken on predesigned proforma. Hb levels were checked by Sahil's method in department of Physiology to evaluate the relation of anemia with junk food. Data was analyzed by SPPS 20. Results: Study also revealed that 55(49.1%) of the study participants were consuming junk food frequently. Among the junk food consumers 69.1% were anemic and their hemoglobin levels were lower than non -consumers of junk food. Regression analysis shows negative association between junk food and hemoglobin levels (P value 0.009). Conclusion: Anemia is frequently found in junk food consumers then non junk food consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]