engleski

Assessment of micronutrients intake through daily meals among institutionalized elderly people from the Osijek-Baranya County

Background: The elderly tend to be at a higher risk for nutritional deficiencies and in particular for micronutrient deficiencies attributed mainly to low dietary intake. The aim of this study is to establish daily dietary intake of selected micronutrients (magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and iron) through daily meals in the group of institutionalized elderly people from different nursing homes in the Osijek-Baranya County and to compare them with recommended dietary allowances (RDA) or adequate intake (AI) for each of them. Methods: During May 2007 16 daily meals from the different nursing homes in the Osijek-Baranya County were collected. The amounts of selected micronutrients (magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and iron) were determined in each sample by the method of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Results: The mean concentrations of magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and iron in all samples were 184.53±99.95 mg/kg, 482.29±188.45 mg/kg, 863.67±320.45 mg/kg, 2539.03±405.91 mg/kg, 6.60±3.89 mg/kg respectively. The mean daily intake of selected micronutrients was as follows: 378 mg per day for magnesium (90% RDA for males, 118% RDA for females), 989 mg per day for calcium (82% RDA for both sexes), 1771 mg per day for potassium (38% AI for both sexes), 5205 mg per day for sodium (434% AI for both sexes) and 14 mg per day for iron (175% RDA for both sexes). Conclusions: According to our results daily dietary intake of selected micronutrients in the group of institutionalized elderly people from the Osijek-Baranya County is not adjusted to scientific recommendations thus revision of dietary intake is needed.

micronutrients; diet; elderly; nutrition; Croatia

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