Zinc and the nutritional status in the aged
Keywords:
bioavailability, nutritional status, aged, diet zinc, plasma zincAbstract
Objective
This study evaluated the plasmatic zinc associated to the nutritional status of 80 elderly subjects, registered at
the Rehabilitation Center of Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil, from 1998 to 1999.
Methods
The 24-hour Dietary Recall and Food Frequency Questionnaire were applied and the consumption of nutrients,
including mineral zinc, was calculated based on the responses. Induced Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission
Spectroscopy, was used to measure plasmatic zinc levels. In addition, the following complementary data for
nutrition evaluation were collected: the measurement of body weight, height, and triceps fold thickness.
Results
The diet of women was found satisfactory in protein and lipids, but low in carbohydrate and energy. Men had
adequate intake of energy, but with low intake of carbohydrate, and high intake of protein and lipids. The
average intake of zinc by women (10.8±4.1mg/d) and men (19.7±7.2mg/d) were in accord to the recommended
levels. Plasma zinc averages in women (7.2± 3.5µmol/L) and men (6.5±3.8µmol/L) were lower than the reference
values. No correlation between zinc intake and zinc level in the plasma was detected, but zinc level in the
plasma was positively correlated to protein intake; nonetheless, this correlation was found negative respective
to age.
Conclusions
High intake of legumes and low intake of animal protein, associated to poor energy diets for women, apparently
decreased the bioavailability of zinc in the diet. The diet of the elderly should be nutritionally controlled, in
order to improve the bioavailability of micronutrients such as zinc, and to prevent or correct any deficiency by
supplementation.
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