Community awareness of association between black tea consumption and iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a prevalent issue in public health that impacts individuals globally, regardless of age. Several risk factors have been documented to be linked to a higher prevalence of IDA, including the drinking of black tea.

This study aimed to evaluate the community's awareness of the relationship between black tea consumption and iron deficiency anemia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This cross-sectional study was conducted among the adult population living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among participants during community meetings, local events, and social media campaigns. The questionnaire includes socio-demographic characteristics and a 24-item questionnaire to assess awareness about black tea consumption and iron deficiency anemia.

Of the 337 participants, 74.2% were females, and 56.1% were between 18 and 24 years old. 49.3% were drinking 1-2 cups of black tea per day. Headache, dizziness, or lightheadedness (77.4%) and severe fatigue (75.7%) were recognized as the most common symptoms of IDA. 32.6% of the respondents regarded having a good level of awareness of the association between black tea consumption and IDA. Female gender, medical education major, and non-black tea drinkers were recognized as the significant factors of increased awareness about black tea consumption and IDA associations.

There was satisfactory awareness of the association between black tea consumption and IDA among the general population. However, the male gender, respondents with non-medical majors, and those who drink 3 or more cups of black tea per day were more likely to exhibit a lack of awareness about black tea consumption and IDA associations. Further larger studies are needed to establish the awareness of the association between black tea consumption and IDA in our region.