Food & Nutrition

Arab Journal of Food & Nutrition
69. Evaluation of Folic Acid Status in 12-To 18-Year-old Female Students in Irbid
(2003)
Ali Faik M. Karim\ University of Jordan
Supervisor: Dr. Ahmad M. Faqih
Evaluation of folic acid status in 12- to -18-year-old female students in Irbid, the
second largest city in Jordan was assessed in a random sample of 198 adolescent
school girls based on their dietary intake. Four schools were randomly chosen from
Irbid, one of which from the private sector and the other three from the public sector.
Study subjects were divided into six age groups, each comprising 33 girls. Students
whose age was 12 belonged to the primary cycle and thus were not included in the
survey. Folic acid status was evaluated by using a 3-day dietary record. Folic acid for
foods of plant origin was determined by using HPLC and by using a computerized
food processor for foods of animal origin.
The mean daily folate intake of adolescents of 13 years old was 188.2±13.7 μg
(±SEM) , while that for adolescents of 14 to 18 years was 199.0±18 μg (±SEM),
without significant differences (P > 0.05) between the two age groups whose overall
average intake was 197±17.9 μg (±SEM). The overall folate intake, as a percent of the
recommended dietary allowance (RDA) was 51.6 %. However, the percentage of
school girls who met their RDA was only 7%.
The respective overall means for height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) for
the two study groups were 161±1.2 cm (±SEM), 58±2.1 Kg (±SEM), and 22.3± 0.7
(±SEM). The percentage of the study subjects with an acceptable normal BMI
(BMI=18.5-24.9) was 65.5 %; those with underweight (BMI= 30) was
6.5 %.
It is concluded that folic acid intake among a group of adolescent school girls (13
to 18 years) in Irbid city is low as based on RDA.
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