[Nutritional content in the daily diet from selected nursing homes for the aged in State of Hessen Second Report--minerals].

Daily diet from 20 nursing homes for the elderly in the German state of Hessen were collected over a period of seven days. After weighing and protocoling, the components of the meals were combined to one sample per day. The homogenized samples were analyzed for the minerals sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, nickel, and chromium. For evaluation of the nutrient value the mineral contents were compared to the recommendations of the German Association for Nutrition (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung) for nutrient intake of the elderly. Whereas mean content of sodium and of calculated sodium chloride per day drastically exceeded the recommendation, the magnesium and chromium recommendations were not reached by far. Regarding high nutrient density requirements with respect to a lower energy demand, only a few diets could reach the recommendations for calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc density given for the elderly.