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Adolescents are a vulnerable age group to nutritional problems due to increased nutritional requirements during periods of rapid growth. Suboptimal nutritional status, including undernutrition and anaemia, can negatively affect health and academic performance. This study aimed to describe the nutritional status of adolescents at SMA Negeri 2 Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi Province. This study employed a descriptive observational design conducted from August to September 2025 with a total sample of 226 twelfth-grade students’ selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected through measurements of body weight and height to determine nutritional status based on the BMI-for-Age indicator and haemoglobin levels were assessed using a digital haemometer. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis. The results showed that most respondents had normal nutritional status (52.2%), while a considerable proportion were undernutrition (47.8%). In addition, more than half of the respondents were anaemia (50.9%). These findings indicate that although anthropometric nutritional status was generally normal, anemia remains a health problem that requires attention among adolescents. Regular monitoring of nutritional status and hemoglobin levels accompanied by nutrition education is recommended. Further studies are recommended to use an analytical study design to identify factors associated with nutritional status and anaemia.

Anemia is a global health problem affecting approximately 30% of adolescents worldwide, with the highest prevalence among women aged 15-49. In Indonesia, data from the Ministry of Health in 2019 showed that the prevalence of anemia in adolescent girls reached 32%, with cases higher than in adolescent boys (27.2% vs. 20.3%). Anemia in adolescent girls negatively impacts growth, increases susceptibility to infection, and affects concentration and academic performance. Research Methods This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of pandan leaves (Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb.) as a dietary intervention to control anemia in adolescent girls. This quantitative study used a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design with 19 adolescent girls from MA Bahrul Ulum Lamongan. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling technique. Respondents consumed 100 grams of pandan leaf pudding daily for seven days. The results of statistical analysis using the Paired Samples T-Test showed that there was a significant difference in hemoglobin levels (p <0.05) in respondents before and after consuming pandan leaf pudding. These results indicate that consuming pandan leaf pudding is effective in increasing hemoglobin levels in the study group.