Zinc and the nutritional status in the aged

• Autor(a) principal: Borges CESAR, Thais
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: WADA, Silvia Regina, Gracioso BORGES, Renata
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista de Nutrição
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/9837
• topic: bioavailability; nutritional status; aged; diet zinc; plasma zinc; biodisponibilidade; estado nutricional; idosos; zinco alimentar; zinco plasmático

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the plasmatic zinc associated to the nutritional status of 80 elderly subjects, registered atthe Rehabilitation Center of Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil, from 1998 to 1999. MethodsThe 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 EmissionSpectroscopy, was used to measure plasmatic zinc levels. In addition, the following complementary data fornutrition evaluation were collected: the measurement of body weight, height, and triceps fold thickness. ResultsThe diet of women was found satisfactory in protein and lipids, but low in carbohydrate and energy. Men hadadequate intake of energy, but with low intake of carbohydrate, and high intake of protein and lipids. Theaverage intake of zinc by women (10.8±4.1mg/d) and men (19.7±7.2mg/d) were in accord to the recommendedlevels. Plasma zinc averages in women (7.2± 3.5µmol/L) and men (6.5±3.8µmol/L) were lower than the referencevalues. No correlation between zinc intake and zinc level in the plasma was detected, but zinc level in theplasma was positively correlated to protein intake; nonetheless, this correlation was found negative respectiveto age. ConclusionsHigh intake of legumes and low intake of animal protein, associated to poor energy diets for women, apparentlydecreased the bioavailability of zinc in the diet. The diet of the elderly should be nutritionally controlled, inorder to improve the bioavailability of micronutrients such as zinc, and to prevent or correct any deficiency bysupplementation.