Comparison of Nutrient Intakes and Serum Mineral Levels between Smokers and Non-Smokers

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of smoking on nutrient intake and blood mineral status. The subjects were composed of two groups.55 smokers and 52 non-smokers. A 24-hour recall method was used along with questionnaires and serum mineral levels were analyzed by ICP spectrometer. The average ages of the smokers and non-smokers were 55.5 and 59.3 years old, respectively. The height, obesity degree, BMI, and WHR of the smokers were significantly higher than those of the non-smokers (p<0.05, p<0.05, p<0.05, p<0.01) Approximately 45.5% of the smokers smoked 16-20 cigarettes per day. The average age that the smokers started smoking was 22.0 years old and their smoking history was 33.5 years. About 74.5% of the smokers drank alcoholic beverages, while 44.2% of the non-smokers did. The smokers tended to eat less meals and breakfast meal, but drink coffee more often compared to the non-smokers. The mean daily energy intake and CPF energy intake ratio were 1231.8 kcal and 69.8 : 14.8 : 14.7 in the smokers and 1210.2 kcal and 72.1 : 14.7 12.7 in the non-smokers, respectively. The results show that the smokers tended to consume more energy, lipid, and cholesterol compared to the non-smokers. The results also show that in both groups, nutrient intake was lower than the RDA. The two groups were not significantly different in terms of the intake frequency of green-yellow vegetables and fresh fruits. There were no significant differences in serum levels of Ca, P, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. However, serum Se level of the smokers was significantly higher than that of the non-smokers. In conclusion, the subjects of this study showed a serious imbalance in the nutrient intake, and the smokers showed a more undesirable dietary intake in the light of their high intake of energy, lipid, cholesterol, alcoholic beverages, and coffee. The serum Se level of the smokers was higher than that of the non-smokers, showing that Se is involved in smoking, Therefore, it could be suggested that more systematic research be conducted with respect to Se and smoking and that increased nutrition education and guidelines for smokers are required.

Serum Mineral Levels among Nepalese Living in the Southern Agricultural Terai Region

The physical status and serum mineral concentrations for people aged 10 to 68 years living in an agricultural southern region of Nepal were determined. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) for both sexes in the 10−14 year age group were low (p<0.05, vs the other age groups) and those for the over 50−year−olds tended to be higher than the other age groups. The mean values of total proteins (TP) (8.6±0.5 g/dl for males and 8.7±0.6 g/dl for females) were high due to an increase of globulin (3.9±0.4 g/dl for males and 4.1±0.5 g/dl for females). More than three−fourths of the subjects of both sexes showed calcium (Ca) levels of 9.0−11.2 mg/dl and about 65% of them showed potassium (K) Ievels of 4.8−5.4 mEq/l. A significant positive correlation between DBP and serum K was observed (p<0.05). Serum inorganic phosphorus (IP) correlated with age (p<0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (p<0.001). The serum Ca levels correlated with TP (r=0.31, p<0.001), albumin (Alb) (r=0.50, p<0.001), IP (r=0.31, p<0.001), K (r=0.32, p<0.001) and chlorine (Cl)(r=−0.37, p<0.001). Cl was associated with TP (r=−0.21, p<0.05), Alb (r=−0.36, p<0.001) and IP (r= −0.21, p<0.05). These results suggested that Ca intake for the subjects seemed to be insufficient although their serum Ca level was within normal.

Concentrations of Major Minerals and Trace Elements in Sera of The Breast-fed and Formula-fed Infants / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The serum concentrations of the major minerals(calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium) and trace elements(iron, Zinc, copper manganese)were datermined in 23 breast fed infants living in Eumsung, Choong-buk region. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1)The mean levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium of the serum of total subjects were 8.15+/-0.33mg/dI, 11.06+/-0.16mg/dI, 2.00+/-0.14mg/dI, 3.4476+/-17.99mg/dI and 9.06+/-2.04mg/dI respectively. 2)The serum concentrations of iron, zinc, copper and manganese in total subjects averaged 95.83+/-0.33mg/dI, 93.79+/-7.06 microgram/dI and 98.57+/-7.06 microgram/dI and 4.93+/-0.62 microgram/dI respecitively. 3)Breast fed infants had significantly higher serum calcim, magnesium, sodium and iron concentrations than the formula fed groups. Otherwise, serum potassium, copper and manganese levels in breast milk fed infants were significantly lower than those in formula fed infants. 4) In formula fed infants, serum potassium and copper levels increased increased significantly with months after birth.

Changes in serum mineral levels in athletes before and after a triathlon competition. Comparison between young and middle-aged groups / 体力科学

Using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, we measured serum mineral (Fe, Cu, Z n, Mg, Ca, K, Na) concentrations in blood of male athletes participating in a triathlon competition held at Nakajima, Ehime in 1989. The athletes were divided into a young group (n=9, 24.2±3.6 yr) and a middle-aged group (n=9, 49.3±4.4 yr) . Blood samples were taken on the day before the competition, at the finish, on the following day and for eight days after.<BR>Immediately after the race, the concentrations of iron, calcium and potassium were increased significantly in sera taken from both groups, and those of copper and zinc were found to be increased only in the young group. In the middle-aged group, serum magnesium and sodium concentrations were decreased significantly. On the day after the race, most of the serum mineral concentrations had returned to values similar to those measured before the race, although the serum sodium concentration in the middle-aged group was still below the previous value, and this low level persisted for eight days after the race in both groups.<BR>Noticeable differences between the young and middle-aged groups were that recovery of increased iron concentration in serum tended to be prolonged in the middle-aged group, and the concentrations of serum copper and zinc were higher than those in the young group throughout the measurement period, with only small changes evident before and after the race. By contrast, serum potassium concentration in the middle-aged group was lower than in the young group throughout the measurement period.