Background: Nutritional anemia is a significant public health concern worldwide, particularly affecting young adults and children in Saudi Arabia, where inadequate nutrition is considered a primary contributing factor. This study aims to (i) examine the levels of serum iron, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ in young adult students, with a focus on identifying any deficiencies and their association with anemia; (ii) explore the prevalence of mixed-deficiency anemia resulting from deficiencies in serum iron, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ (iii) explore how sociodemographic characteristics and dietary habits influence serum iron, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ levels.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study encompassed 158 young adult students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. Blood samples were collected following a comprehensive questionnaire addressing sociodemographic and health characteristics. These samples were analyzed for complete blood count, serum iron, folate, and vitamin B₁₂ levels.

Results: The findings of this study revealed a significant decrease in serum iron levels, with 70.6% of males and 88% in females exhibiting reduced level. Additionally, low levels of folate were observed in 4% of the study population, while deficiency in vitamin B₁₂ was found in 2.2% of the study population. However, the simultaneous presence of low serum iron levels along with deficiencies in folate or vitamin B₁₂ was not observed in the study participants.

Conclusion: The study indicates that there is a high incidence of low serum iron and ferritin levels among university students in Saudi Arabia, which poses a considerable public health concern. Conversely, the prevalence of folate and vitamin B₁₂ deficiencies among the students was comparatively low, and notably, there were no cases where these deficiencies were observed alongside iron deficiency.