Table 1.
Univariate logistic regression analysis of the factors associated with iron deficiency anemia among the study sample of female students (n = 200).
| Variables | Anemic (n = 25, 12.5%) |
Nonanemic (n = 175, 87.5%) |
Unadjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. (%) | No. (%) | OR (95% CI) | |
| Sociodemographic information | |||
| Age, y | |||
| 19-22 | 16 (14.3) | 96 (85.7) | 1.46 (0.61-3.49) |
| >22-≥25 | 9 (10.2) | 79 (89.8) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Marital status | |||
| Single | 14 (16.1) | 73 (83.9) | 1.78 (0.76-4.14) |
| Married | 11 (9.7) | 102 (90.3) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Monthly household income, SR | |||
| <5000 | 5 (12.8) | 34 (87.2) | 0.96 (0.23-3.92) |
| 5000-15 000 | 16 (12.2) | 115 (87.8) | 0.90 (0.28-2.93) |
| >15 000 | 4 (13.3) | 26 (86.7) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | |||
| <18 | 5 (17.2) | 24 (82.8) | 1.48 (0.45-4.87) |
| ≥25 | 11 (11.2) | 87 (88.8) | 0.90 (0.35-2.30) |
| 18-24.9 | 9 (12.3) | 64 (87.7) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Participants’ dietary data | |||
| Intake of iron | |||
| < Recommended intake | 18 (25.7) | 52 (74.3) | 6.08 (2.40-15.44) |
| ≥ Recommended intake | 7 (5.4) | 123 (94.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Intake of vitamin C | |||
| < Recommended intake | 14 (26.4) | 39 (73.6) | 4.44 (1.87-10.55) |
| ≥ Recommended intake | 11 (7.5) | 136 (92.5) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Intake of protein | |||
| < Recommended intake | 8 (20.0) | 32 (80.0) | 2.10 (0.84-5.30) |
| ≥ Recommended intake | 17 (10.6) | 143 (89.4) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Intake of energy | |||
| < Estimated average requirement | 6 (20.7) | 23 (79.3) | 2.09 (0.76-5.77) |
| ≥ Estimated average requirement | 19 (11.1) | 152 (88.9) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Frequency of tea consumption | |||
| ≤2 times a week | 5 (3.8) | 126 (96.2) | 0.10 (0.04-0.27) |
| ≥3 times a week | 20 (29.0) | 49 (71.0) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Frequency of citrus fruit consumption | |||
| ≤2 times a week | 7 (14.6) | 41 (85.4) | 1.27 (0.50-3.26) |
| ≥3 times a week | 18 (11.8) | 134 (88.2) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Frequency of red meat consumption | |||
| ≤2 times a week | 19 (27.1) | 51 (72.9) | 7.70 (2.91-20.39) |
| ≥3 times a week | 6 (4.6) | 124 (95.4) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Frequency of poultry consumption | |||
| ≤2 times a week | 13 (18.8) | 56 (81.2) | 2.30 (0.99-5.37) |
| ≥3 times a week | 12 (9.2) | 119 (90.8) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Frequency of fish consumption | |||
| ≤2 times a week | 21 (14.4) | 125 (85.6) | 2.10 (0.69-6.43) |
| ≥3 times a week | 4 (7.4) | 50 (92.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Participants following a dietary regime | |||
| Yes | 4 (10.3) | 35 (89.7) | 0.76 (0.25-2.36) |
| No | 21 (13.0) | 140 (87.0) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Smoking | |||
| Yes | 1 (14.3) | 6 (85.7) | 1.17 (0.14-10.17) |
| No | 24 (12.4) | 169 (87.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Participants’ menstrual history | |||
| Menstruation frequency | |||
| Once per month | 9 (17.3) | 43 (82.7) | 1.73 (0.71-4.19) |
| Twice or more per month | 16 (10.8) | 132 (89.2) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Menstruation duration, d | |||
| ≤7 | 11 (10.2) | 97 (89.8) | 0.63 (0.27-1.47) |
| ≥8 | 14 (15.2) | 78 (84.8) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Blood clotting during menstruation | |||
| Yes | 15 (26.3) | 42 (73.7) | 4.75 (1.99-11.36) |
| No | 10 (7.0) | 133 (93.0) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Heavy flow of menstrual blood | |||
| Yes | 12 (19.4) | 50 (80.6) | 2.31 (0.99-5.40) |
| No | 13 (9.4) | 125 (90.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Participants’ obstetric history | |||
| No. of children | |||
| <5 | 20 (11.6) | 153 (88.4) | 0.58 (0.20-1.69) |
| ≥5 | 5 (18.5) | 22 (81.5) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Birth interval, y | |||
| ≤1 | 6 (17.6) | 28 (82.4) | 1.66 (0.61-4.52) |
| >1 | 19 (11.4) | 147 (88.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Use of oral contraceptive pills | |||
| Yes | 5 (11.6) | 38 (88.4) | 0.90 (0.32-2.56) |
| No | 20 (12.7) | 137 (87.3) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Duration of use of oral contraceptives, y | |||
| <2 | 4 (13.3) | 26 (86.7) | 1.09 (0.35-3.44) |
| ≥2 | 21 (12.4) | 149 (87.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Use of intrauterine contraceptive device | |||
| Yes | 3 (13.6) | 19 (86.4) | 1.12 (0.31-4.10) |
| No | 22 (12.4) | 156 (87.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Participants’ medical history | |||
| Chronic disease | |||
| Yes | 2 (10.5) | 17 (89.5) | 0.81 (0.18-3.73) |
| No | 23 (12.7) | 158 (87.3) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Blood disorders | |||
| Yes | 1 (14.3) | 6 (85.7) | 1.17 (0.14-10.17) |
| No | 24 (12.4) | 169 (87.6) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Blood transfusion | |||
| Yes | 3 (17.6) | 14 (82.4) | 1.57 (0.42-5.90) |
| No | 22 (12.0) | 161 (88.0) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Past personal history of iron deficiency anemia | |||
| Yes | 16 (32.0) | 34 (68.0) | 7.37 (3.00-18.11) |
| No | 9 (6.0) | 141 (94.0) | 1 (Ref.) |
| Past family history of iron deficiency anemia | |||
| Yes | 14 (22.2) | 49 (77.8) | 3.27 (1.39-7.70) |
| No | 1 (8.0) | 126 (92.0) | 1 (Ref.) |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio; Ref., reference; SR, Saudi riyal.