Iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a common health problem in rural women
and young children of Bangladesh. The university students usually take
food from residential halls, and the food value of their diets is not
always balanced. This cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate
the prevalence of irondeficiency anaemia among the university students
of Noakhali region, Bangladesh. Haemoglobin level of 300
randomly-selected students was measured calorimetrically, using
Sahli\u2019s haemoglobinometer during October to December 2011.
Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS software for Windows
(version 16) (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). In the study, 55.3%
students were found anaemic, of whom 36.7% were male, and 63.3% were
female. Students aged 20-22 years were more anaemic (43.4%) than other
age-groups. Majority (51.3%) of male students showed their haemoglobin
level in the range of 13-15 g/dL, followed by 26.0% and 21.3% with
10-12 g/dL and 16-18 g/dL respectively. Although 50.5% anaemic and
51.1% non-anaemic female students showed normal BMI\u2014lower
percentage than anaemic (60.7%) and nonanaemic (71.9%) male students,
the underweight students were found more anaemic than the overweight
and obese subjects. Regular breakfast-taking habit showed significant
(p=0.035, 95% CI 0.5-1.0) influence on IDA compared to non-regular
breakfast takers. Consumption of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or peanut
butter regularly; junk food; multivitamins; and iron/iron-rich food
showed insignificant (p=0.097, 95% CI 0.5-1.1; p=0.053, 95% CI 1.1-2.3;
p=0.148, 95% CI 0.6-1.2; and p=0.487, 95% CI 0.7-1.4 respectively) role
in provoking IDA. In the case of non-anaemic subjects, all of the above
parameters were significant, except the junk food consumption (p=0.342,
95% CI 0.5-1.2). Our study revealed that majority of university
students, especially female, were anaemic that might be aggravated by
food habit and lack of awareness. The results suggest that anaemia can
be prevented by providing proper knowledge on the healthful diet,
improved lifestyle, and harmful effect of anaemia to the students