The Effect of Dragon Fruit Juice (Hylocereus polyrhizus) Administration on Hemoglobin Levels Among Adolescent Girls: Implications for Midwifery Education

Abstract

Anemia remains a pervasive nutritional problem among adolescent girls, especially in developing regions, due to increased iron requirements during puberty and menstruation. Despite government supplementation programs, adherence remains low, and sustainable dietary interventions are urgently needed. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of daily red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) juice supplementation in improving hemoglobin levels among anemic adolescent girls at SMP Budi Mulia Pakisaji, Malang. A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used, involving 37 girls aged 11–13 years with mild anemia. Participants received 250 grams of red dragon fruit blended with 100 ml water each morning for ten consecutive days. Hemoglobin levels were measured before and after the intervention using the Easy Touch GCHb device. Results showed a significant improvement: the mean hemoglobin increased from 11.61 g/dL to 11.83 g/dL (p = 0.001), with nearly half of the participants reaching normal values (>12 g/dL) post-intervention. The study concludes that red dragon fruit juice is an effective, practical, and natural dietary intervention to increase hemoglobin levels in adolescent girls with mild anemia. This finding supports its integration into school health programs and midwifery education as a non-pharmacological approach to anemia prevention. Further research with larger samples, longer follow-up, and comprehensive dietary monitoring is recommended to confirm long-term efficacy and generalizability.