Iron nutritional status of adolescent girls from rural area and urban slum

Iron nutritional status of adolescent girls belonging to an urban slum and rural areas was assessed by measuring serum ferritin levels. Overall anemia was observed in 25% of the girls irrespective of their urban rural residence. A higher percentage of rural girls (37.5%) especially below the age of 12 years showed evidence of anemia. Thereafter, the prevalence was similar in both urban and rural gills who had not attained menarche. With increasing age, urban girls who had attained menarche showed an increase in the prevalence of anemia. The prevalence of iron deficiency (serum ferritin 14 yrs especially in the girls not attained menarche in the rural area. Overall iron deficiency was of much higher order in the rural girls iirespective of the menaivheal status. Distribution of iron/folate tablets to cover girl population may go a long way to correct the anemia and iron deficiency in the vulnerable groups.