Prevalence of folate deficiency among adolescent school girls in rural areas of Mysuru district, Karnataka, India

Introduction: Adequate levels of folate are particularly important to adolescent girls and pregnant women. Inadequate maternal folic acid levels have been associated with placental abruption, pre-eclampsia, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight and neural tube defects.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of folate deficiency among adolescent school girls in rural areas of Mysuru District, Karnataka, India. 

Method: This cross sectional, community based study was undertaken among 100 adolescent girls aged 14 to 16 years studying in four randomly selected rural schools of Mysuru district for a period of one year. Details regarding sociodemographic characteristics, diet history and findings of clinical examination were recorded in a pre-tested structured schedule. Estimation of haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and serum folic acid levels was done along with peripheral blood pictures in all cases.

Results: Majority (66%) of the girls were 15-16 years old. Prevalence of anaemia was 24% and prevalence of folic acid deficiency (serum folic acid <2.7ng/ml) was 19%. Around half (42.1%) with folic acid deficiency had anaemia. Out of 19 girls with folic acid deficiency 16 (84.2%) were vegetarians.

Conclusions: In this study the prevalence of folate deficiency was 19% among adolescent school girls in rural areas of Mysuru District, Karnataka, India

Sri Lanka Journal of Child health, 2020; 49(3): 230-234