Nutritional Status of Antioxidant Vitamins in the Elderly Living in Ulsan Metropolitan City

Body antioxidant status is an important factor for the prevention of many chronic diseases in the elderly. This study was done to evaluate the nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins of the elderly by determining their intakes and plasma levels. It was also aimed to compare daily intakes and plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins by sex of age. Subjects were 225 elderly persons aged over 60 years old (63 males, 162 females) living in Ulsan area. Subjects were divided by groups according to age(＜ 65, 65－74, 75) and sex. Dietary Intakes were assessed by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires(FFQ). Plasma Vitamin C level was measured by 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method and plasma levels of vitamin E, A and ${\beta}$-carotene were measured by HFLC. The average intakes of vitamin C were 104.9g(150% of RDA) and 104.4g(149％ of RDA) in the elder1y males and females, respectively. Vitamin C intake of the elderly was significantly decreased by aging but not different by sex. The average intakes of vitamin A were 678$\mu\textrm{g}$RE(96.9% of RDA) and 604$\mu\textrm{g}$:RE(86.2% of RDA) in elderly males and females, respectively. The average levels of Plasma vitamin C were 6.22mg/L and 11.45mg/L in the elderly males and females, respectively. Those levels are within normal range(6-20mg/L). However the percentage of the elderly males with deficiency(＜ 2mg/L) and marginal level(2-4mg/L) of vitamin C were 27.4% and 16.1%, respectively. Plasma retinaol levels were 0.39mg/L for the elderly males and 0.37mg/L for the elderly females, which were within normal range. But the percentage of subjects with marginal level were 28% ill both males and females. Plasma ${\alpha}$-tocopherol levels of the elderly were lower than normal range(5-12mg/L). Plasma levels of vitamin C, E and ${\beta}$-carotene, except retinol, were significantly higher in the elderly females compared to males and showed significant decrease by aging.