ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The present study was conceived in response to a perceived lack of data about the nutritional status of free-living elderly Yoruba people living in a poor urban area in south-western Nigeria. The major focus was to assess the micronutrient status of elderly Yoruba people living in a slum of Ibadan. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study was designed to collect data on dietary intake and micronutrient status. SETTING: By means of a structured questionnaire and the estimated food record method, nutrient intake was assessed. Blood was taken from 120 people to determine serum micronutrient levels. SUBJECTS: A total of 240 elderly Yoruba people were selected from Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria using a random sampling technique. RESULTS: The diet of the elderly Yoruba participants was mainly plant based and inadequate in B vitamins (especially B1, B6 and folic acid) and micronutrients such as Zn. The intake of vitamin A ranged from 269 to 487 µg/d, while vitamin B1 and B2 intakes ranged from 0·20 to 0·82 mg/d in both males and females. The intake of vitamin C varied from 24·8 to 42·8 mg/d. The majority of participants had insufficient serum levels of vitamins and minerals relative to reference values. Forty per cent were deficient in serum Ca, 71% were deficient in serum Zn and 51% were deficient in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the elderly Yoruba people were deficient in Zn, ferritin and vitamin B6. This is the result of a diet lacking in vitamins and minerals.
