Effectiveness of giving red spinach leaf capsules to adolescent girls on hemoglobin levels, Kendari City, Indonesia

Abstract

Approximately 37% of pregnant women and 30% of women aged 15–49 years worldwide are anemic. The aim was to analyze the effect of administering red spinach leaf capsules on increasing hemoglobin levels in adolescent girls. The study was conducted from July to September 2024 at three senior high schools in Kendari City and involved 160 female students in a randomized pretest-posttest controlled design. The study utilized control sheets and questionnaires, an Easy Touch hemometer, and anthropometric measurements. This study used the independent samples T test and paired samples test for statistical analysis. The nutritional composition of the South Sulawesi variety of red spinach leaf capsule extract included protein content of 2.2 mg, iron 91.72 mg, vitamin A 16.3 mg, vitamin C 1125.71 mg, vitamin E 3.3 mg, calcium 2003 mg, vitamin B6 0.512 mg, vitamin B 12 0.10 mg, β-carotene 1.58 mg, and folate 85 mg per 100 grams of material. The level of adequacy of macronutrient and micronutrient intake in respondents was classified as a deficit category because it was <70% of the total nutritional adequacy. The average hemoglobin level in the group administered red spinach leaf capsules before the intervention was 11.07 ± 0.87, which increased to 13.09 ± 0.62 after the intervention. There was a difference in hemoglobin levels before and after the administration of red spinach leaf capsules, with P=0.001. In conclusion, administration of red spinach leaf capsules can increase Hb levels in female students. It is recommended to incorporate red spinach leaf capsules as a dietary supplement for improving hemoglobin levels.