A study on haemoglobin, serum protein concentrations and serum total antioxidant capacity in first year female undergraduates of the University of Peradeniya
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Date
2010
Authors
Santhampillai, J. M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Peradeniya
Abstract
A study was undertaken to assess the nutritional status of the 1st year female undergraduates of the University of Peradeniya using serum analytes and anthropometric measurements. A total of 142 students from the faculties of Medicine, Engineering and Arts were randomly selected and included in the study after obtaining their consent.
Standard laboratory techniques were used and the validity of the methods were checked with quality control serum during analysis. The data were entered into Microsoft Excel programme and subjected to statistical analysis.
Majority of the students involved in the study were from the Kandy district (21.1%) and around Kandy like Kegalle (10.6%) and Kurunegala (11.3%) districts. Undernutrition was noticeably high in the subjects with 44.37% being underweight, 49.30% were with normal BMI and 5.63% overweight; one student was obese. The lowest incidence of underweight (37.50 %) was observed among the students of the faculty of Engineering and they are slightly better than the students of the other faculties in their nutritional status.
The haemoglobin (Hb) concentration of the study population ranged from 8.33 - 15.44 g/dL. The mean Hb concentration of the students of the faculty of Arts was significantly: lower compared to students of the faculties of Medicine and Engineering. The incidence of anemia (Hb < 12 g/dl) was 20.4% among the entire study group and highest incidence was noticed in students of the faculty of Arts (13.1%) and the lowest in students of the faculty of Engineering (1.5%). The incidence of anemia based on PCV < 36% was 22.6% among the entire study group, which was slightly higher that that was obtained by using the Hb cut off value. The highest incidence was noticed in students of the faculty of Arts (14.6%) and the lowest in students of the faculty of Medicine (2.9%).
The serum total protein concentration of the study population ranged from 5.7 to 8.9 g/dL. Students of the faculty Engineering had a higher concentration than the students of the faculty of Arts and Medicine. Total protein concentration lower than 6 g/dL indicating a deficient state in serum protein was 2.6 %. The serum albumin concentration of the study population ranged from 3.7 to 5.5 g/dL. Students of the faculty Engineering had a significantly lower concentration than the students of the faculty of Arts and Medicine. None of the subjects had serum albumin concentration lower than 3.7 g/dL suggesting that the albumin status is adequate. The serum globulin concentration of the study population ranged from 1.3 to 4.7 g/dL and the students of the faculty Engineering had a higher concentration than the students of the faculty of Arts and Medicine. A significant number of the subjects had serum globulin concentration lower than 2.65 g/dL and the percentage of subjects deficient in globulin amounted to 28.8%.
The total antioxidant capacity of the study population ranged from 262.2 - 865.6 μmol/L and it is being reported for the first time for Sri Lankan subjects.
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Keywords
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Haemoglobin