PARAMETERS OF THE RED SERIES, EATING HABITS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON ANEMIA IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Red blood cell parameters such as hematocrit and hemoglobin are crucial in assessing erythrocyte health. We sought to determine the parameters of the red series and analyze how eating habits influence anemia among university students. This group faces hectic lifestyles and intense schedules that affect their physical and mental health.

The study, with a quantitative, descriptive and transversal approach, was carried out with 126 students from the Faculty of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Biochemical Sciences of the Universidad Mayor Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca. Hematocrit was determined and, from this, hemoglobin was calculated using an equivalence table. The procedure included capillary puncture, centrifugation, and hematocrit reading to evaluate the results. The collection of statistical data was carried out through a digital survey. The data was processed and analyzed with Excel to create graphs and interpret the results.

Among the results, 24% of the students present polycythemia and 22% suffer from anemia. Although the majority have normal values, the percentage of anemia highlights the need for preventive measures. Furthermore, 27.03% of students diagnosed with anemia have bad eating habits, and none have good habits, suggesting a possible influence of diet on the development of anemia. Finally, students without sufficient economic income have a prevalence of anemia of 37.14%, compared to 24.59% of those with an adequate livelihood, highlighting the relationship between economic situation and health.