Prevalence of Anaemia and Its Association with Breakfast Habits and Body Mass Index Among Female Medical Technology Students in Misrata, Libya: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Anaemia is common among young women, and university students face particular risk from menstrual blood loss, irregular eating habits, and academic stress. This study assessed haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) among female medical technology students in Misrata, Libya, and their association with breakfast habits and body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 99 female students. Height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured to calculate BMI and waist-to-hip ratio. Breakfast habits were recorded using a short questionnaire, and Hb and PCV were measured from venous blood samples and classified using WHO cutoffs. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square tests, with significance at p < 0.05. Mean age was 21.43 ± 1.16 years, mean BMI was 24.63 ± 4.36 kg/m², and mean Hb was 11.84 ± 1.84 g/dL. Overall, 52.5% of students were anaemic (36.4% mild, 16.1% moderate; no severe cases). Hb showed a weak but significant positive correlation with BMI (r = 0.257, p = 0.010) and waist circumference (r = 0.227, p = 0.024). Mean Hb did not differ between regular eaters and skippers (p = 0.482), though skippers showed more moderate anaemia (22.0%) than regular eaters (12.1%), without reaching significance (χ² = 4.774, p = 0.092). Anaemia is common among these students, mostly mild-to-moderate. Higher BMI was weakly associated with higher Hb, while skipping breakfast was linked to more moderate anaemia. Routine haemoglobin screening and health education are recommended for this population.