Mohammed Javad Yousefi: Iron Deficiency and Anaemia Among Adolescent Girls in Iran
Mohammed Javad Yousefi, Student Researcher at Birjand University of Medical Sciences, shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent article he and his colleagues co-authored, published in Health Science Reports, adding:
“Our new study on iron deficiency anemia in adolescent girls is now published!
I’m excited to share the findings of our cross‑sectional study conducted in Birjand, South Khorasan Province, Iran—a region with limited data on this critical health issue.
We surveyed 148 female high school students (16–18 years) and found:
- 15.5% were anemic
- 7.4% met WHO criteria for iron deficiency anemia (IDA)
- 8.8% had depleted iron stores (Phase 1)
- 2.7% had iron deficiency without anemia (Phase 2)
Mean ferritin: 44.2 ng/mL
Mean serum iron: 97.3 μg/dL
Why this matters:
Adolescence is a critical window for growth, cognitive development, and future reproductive health. Even before anemia develops, iron deficiency can impair concentration, memory, physical performance, and academic achievement.
What surprised us:
The gap between overall anemia (15.5%) and IDA (7.4%) suggests other factors—vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, hemoglobinopathies, or chronic inflammation—may also play a role in this population. This deserves further investigation.
Our takeaway:
While the prevalence of IDA is modest compared to some regions, over 11% of participants already show early signs of iron depletion.
This highlights the urgent need for:
- Routine screening programs in schools
- Nutrition education focused on iron bioavailability
- Targeted supplementation strategies where needed
I’m grateful to my co‑authors Sepideh Sahebi, Freshteh Osmani, Mobina Seghatoleslami, Elnaz Abbasi, Mohammad Hossein Soltani, and our supervisor Fatemeh Mezginejad for their collaboration. This work was supported by Birjand University of Medical Sciences.
I’d love to hear your thoughts—especially from those working in adolescent health, nutrition, or public health. What strategies have you found effective in your settings.”
Title: Iron Deficiency Anemia in Female Adolescents: An Epidemiological Study From Eastern Iran—A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mohammad Javad Yousefi, Sepideh Sahebi, Freshteh Osmani, Mobina Seghatoleslami, Elnaz Abbasi, Mohammad Hossein Soltani, Fatemeh Mezginejad

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