Adolescent nutrition in Indonesia.

Adolescent anaemia is one of the health problems with an increasing prevalence in Indonesia. Anaemia prevalence was 21.7 per cent, with 26.4 per cent from the 5-14 years old group and 18.4% from 15-24% years old. Adolescents tend to be anaemic because of their physical and pubertal development. The fact that adolescent girls with early puberty require more iron and other micronutrients is because of loss of menstrual blood, which puts adolescent girls at a higher risk to be anaemic than boys. Early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and taboos during menarche also are risk factors for anaemia in Indonesia. Many surveys and adolescent-level programs have been implemented to prevent anaemia in girls but the trend of anaemia prevalence is not clear. Further research regarding comprehensive iron deficiency indices, age at menarche and pubertal onset, experiences in the first period of menstruation on adolescents and its effect on emotional mental health has to be measured for better understanding in view of program planning and implementation in Indonesia The main aim of the project is to provide information on adolescent anaemia prevalence and to assess the relationship between puberty, emotional mental health, and their experience during menarche through primary and national representative secondary data