Burden of Anemia in School-going Adolescent Girls in Urban Population of Uttar Pradesh

Objective: To determine the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls in the urban population of Uttar Pradesh. Materials and methods:A cross-sectional observational study was conducted by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, SN Medical College Agra, in the government and private schools of Agra during the year 2023.A total of 582 teenage females were included in the study.A semistructured questionnaire with prior testing was employed.Results: The prevalence of anemia in school-going adolescent girls in urban areas of Uttar Pradesh was very high, that is, 95.02% and the prevalence of severe anemia was 8.42%.Prevalence of anemia was highest among girls with low body mass index (BMI), having two or more siblings, and belonging to low socioeconomic status.Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of anemia in school-going adolescent girls.Corrective measures should be prioritized in adolescent girls suffering from nutritional anemia.School-based intervention is essential to reduce the magnitude of anemia in urban as well as rural population.Special package of policies and interventions could help to reduce the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls.