Oldewage-Theron W H, Samuel F O, Venter C S
Institute of Sustainable Livelihoods, Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.
J Hum Nutr Diet. 2008 Dec;21(6):566-74. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-277X.2008.00914.x.
The elderly are particularly prone to zinc deficiency because of nutritional and physiological vulnerabilities associated with ageing. A low socio-economic status may further increase the risk of zinc deficiency. This cross-sectional descriptive study assessed the zinc status of an elderly sample in the Vaal region, South Africa.
The participants were 170 randomly selected elderly people attending a day care centre in Sharpeville. Twenty-four-hour recalls were administered for dietary intake. Weight and height were measured and venous blood samples (n = 67) were drawn to determine biochemical indices.
The mean age of the respondents was 71.7 years. The mean +/- SD daily dietary intake for zinc was 11.0 +/- 6.12 mg. Approximately half of the subjects (51.5%) did not reach two-thirds of the recommended dietary allowance for zinc. The mean serum zinc concentration was 61.8 +/- 8.5 microg dL(-1) (9.4 +/- 1.3 micromol L(-1)), with 76.3% of the subjects having zinc values less than the recommended values of 70 microg dL(-1) (10.7 micromol L(-1)). Maize meal was the staple in the diet of approximately half the study population. Although South African maize meal is now fortified with zinc oxide, maize also contains high concentrations of phytate, a known inhibitor of mineral bioavailability.
The results of the present study suggested that zinc deficiency existed in these elderly people. Further research is, however, needed to elucidate possible underlying factors so that appropriate intervention can be implemented.
由于与衰老相关的营养和生理脆弱性，老年人特别容易缺锌。社会经济地位低下可能会进一步增加缺锌风险。这项横断面描述性研究评估了南非瓦尔地区一个老年样本的锌状况。
参与者是在沙佩维尔一家日托中心随机挑选的170名老年人。采用24小时回忆法评估饮食摄入量。测量体重和身高，并采集静脉血样（n = 67）以测定生化指标。
受访者的平均年龄为71.7岁。锌的每日平均饮食摄入量为11.0 +/- 6.12毫克。约一半的受试者（51.5%）未达到锌推荐膳食摄入量的三分之二。血清锌平均浓度为61.8 +/- 8.5微克/分升（9.4 +/- 1.3微摩尔/升），76.3%的受试者锌值低于推荐值70微克/分升（10.7微摩尔/升）。玉米粉是约一半研究人群饮食中的主食。尽管现在南非玉米粉添加了氧化锌强化，但玉米也含有高浓度的植酸盐，这是一种已知的矿物质生物利用度抑制剂。
本研究结果表明这些老年人存在缺锌情况。然而，需要进一步研究以阐明可能的潜在因素，以便实施适当的干预措施。
