Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 According to the World Health Organization, about 2 billion people (over 30%) of the world population have anemia. This rate in students is about 25.4 %. Iron deficiency anemia is one of important nutritional problems among female teenagers which causes reduced concentration and impaired learning. Because of the effects of iron deficiency, enzymes and neurotransmitters affect brain and results in a decreased concentration and learning ability.

 Materials and Methods

 The population of this study are third-year guidance school female students in Garmsar. A sample group of 45 volunteer students underwent laboratory testing. According to the results of laboratory tests, students were divided into anemic and non-anemic groups. GPA was used for scaling educational performance and evaluating the numerical ability three components of Math scores, numerical memory, and numerical calculation of Wechsler test were used. Outcome scores were compared with the lab tests. Pearson and ANOVA were used in SPSS 19 software.

 Results

 The correlation between GPA and indicators of HB, HCT, MCV, Serum iron, and Ferritin, the correlation between math scores and indicators of Ferritin and HCT Serum Iron, the correlation between the numerical calculation and Ferritin, MCH, HCT, and HB, and finally the correlation between short-term memory and Ferritin were all estimated to be significant (p< 0.05).

 Conclusions

 According to the results, anemia especially iron deficiency anemia has a negative effect on educational and mathematics performance of students.