ELSEVIER The Science of the Total Environment 205 (1997) 159-165 the Science of the Total-t AnMsuu-fr-l- bulrr~,-dbrldmmbcwmtuMl Serum concentration and dietary intake of Zn in healthy institutionalized elderly subjects R. Artacho”‘“, M.D. Ruiz-Lbpez”, C. GQmeza, A. Puertab, M.C. Liipez” aDepatiamento de Nutricich y Bromatologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain bPoliclinica Granada, Granada, Spain Received 22 April 1997; accepted 26 June 1997 Abstract We determined the serum concentrationsand dietary intake of zinc, as indicators of Zn status,in 44 healthy institutionalized elderly subjects in Granada (Spain)(meanage 81.4f 7.9 years). Determination of Zn in serum was carried out by electrothermalatomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serumsamples had a meanZn concentration of 10.49 * 3.5 pmol/l. No significant differences were found in the serum levels of Zn as regards the sex of the subjects.However, concerning Zn intake, determined by a 7-day weighed food record, a significant statistical difference (P < 0.001) was found between men and women, with mean valuesof 10.01 k 1.76mg/day and 7.33f 1.33 mg/day, respectively. Application of regression analysis to the serumconcentration of Zn and other nutritional parametersshows a statistically significant correlation (P < 0.05) between serum levels of Zn and the body mass index. The lack of statisticalcorrelation betweenthe serumconcentration of zinc and its intake indicatesthat this index cannot be used as an indicator of zinc statusin the elderly. 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. Keywords: Zinc; Serum;Intake; Elderly people 1. Introduction Zinc is an essential trace mineral for the hu- man organism that fulfils an important role in numerous biochemical mechanisms such as im- * Corresponding author. Fax: + 34 58 243869. munity, actions on several hormones and more than 200 enzymes are zinc dependent (Favier, 1993). Of these enzymes, the superoxide dismu- tase is outstanding, as it has a fundamental role in the protection of the organism against acti- vated oxygen species and, therefore, may be im- portant in the aging process (Mertz et al., 1989). Elderly populations with a low Zn status are 0048-9697/97/$17.00 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PZZ SOO48-9697(97) 00196-o