• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.539-547
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the health status as determined by a self-assessment checklist was related to the nutritional status of elderly Korean women. We interviewed 59 female subjects living in the Daegu area aged over 55 years. Information on their dietary intake on two consecutive days was collected by the 24-hour Recall Method. Their body compositions were measured using a Bio-electrical Impedence Fatness Analyzer. Their zinc status was evaluated according to their dietary zinc intake and urinary zinc excretion in urine samples collected for 24 hours. Their heath status was determined by a NSI Checklist. While 50.9% of the total subjects belonged to a moderate nutritional risk group,23.7% of the subjects were at a high nutritional risk. It appeared that only 25.4% of the subjects were evaluated as being healthy. Therefore, the overall nutritional health status of the elderly females belonged to the moderate nutritional risk group. Except for vitamin C, the average daily nutrient intake of the subjects was below the level of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for Koreans. The lower the nutritional health score, the better was their dietary intake of energy (p<.05), protein (p<.001), and zinc (p<.01). A positive relationship between their nutritional health score and body fat ratio was also observed (p<.05). Therefore, we suggest that the NSI Checklist could be used as a practical screening tool at the beginning of nutritional surveillance of the elderly in the community.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.31 no.8
• /
• pp.1324-1377
• /
• 1998

This study was conducted for two purposes ; (1) to develop a database for zinc levels in commonly usef Korean food items ; and (2) to calculated the zinc intake fo Korean adults living in a rural area. The currently used Korean food compositinotable was supplemented in term sof zinc content using several methods ; (1) analyzing 98 Korean Food items frequently consumed by Korean adults living in rural area. ; (2) adapting values from U.S Minnesota for 71 items ; and (3) imputing values from similar food for 282 items. A new zinc nutrient databse was constructed including zinc contentrs of 1,195 food items. Zinc intake of rural Korean adults was estimated by a 240hours recall method from 2 ,037 adults over 30 over 30years of age in Yeonchon -gun , Kyunggi province of Korea. Mean daily zinc intake of all subjects was 61mg an dmean intake level of males (7.0mg/day, 46.85 of RDA) was significantly thigher than females(5.2mg/day, 43.0% of RDA). Subjects in their 40's had the highest zinc intak ewhile those over 70 years of age consumed the least amount of zinc. The food group that contributed most to the dietary ainc intake of subjects was cereals and grain products supplying 38% of total zinc intake. The next most important group for zinc intak ewas the meat, poultry , and product group supplying 26% ot total intake. This group was followed by fishes and shellfishes, legumes and their products, and vegetales . For individual food items , reicecontribued most, supplying 27% of total zinc intake follwoed by beef(10%) and prok(9%) . Altogether, plant foods supplied 68% of zinc intake suggesting that the bioabailability of dietary ainc is low. In conclusion, these results show ethat the zinc intake of rural Korean adults is low and that sources of dietary zinc are mainly plant foods, suggesting low bioavailability . Further studies are needed to determine zinc intake and status of Korean population. The zinc database developed in this study will be very valuable for such studies.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.79-84
• /
• 2004

Zinc intake and status of South Koreans from rural, urban and metropolitan areas were investigated. The dietary habits of 760 healthy male and female adult subjects with a mean age of 54 were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and were verified using 24 h dietary recall. Daily Zn intakes for men and women were 7.4$\pm$5.4 mg and 7.0$\pm$5.4 mg, respectively, which were 62% and 70% of the Korean RDA. The phytate : zinc and phytate ${\times}$ calcium : zinc molar ratios were 38 and 398, respectively. Both the low intake of zinc and the high extremely phytate and phytate ${\times}$ calcium ratios with Zinc suggest that South Koreans may be at risk of zinc deficiency. Plasma zinc (86$\pm$61 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dL), urinary zinc (33$\pm$27 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dL) and plasma alkaline phosphatase (102$\pm$52 mU/mL) levels within the normal range did not however suggest marked Zinc deficiency in these subjects. However, conventional zinc biomarkers aye known to be unreliable for assessment of marginal zinc deficiency. Based on zinc intake alone, it is likely that at least a proportion of these subjects were marginally zinc deficient and the wider consumption of zinc rich, phytate deficient foods, particularly in rural areas, would be beneficial.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.453-457
• /
• 2004

The welders and car painters are frequently exposed to heavy metals such as lead, zinc, cadmium and chromium, and those are a major source of heavy metal poisoning. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship of the heavy metal level in blood by age, working duration, and smoking status among 105 industrial workers and 88 general people in Gyeongnam province from October 2003 to October 2004. The heavy metal level in blood was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Mean blood lead level in exposed group and control group was 8.40±4.67μl/dl, 1.82±1.35μl/dl, respectively. Mean blood zinc level in exposed group and control group was 9.43±5.38 ㎍/ml, 2.89±1.79㎍/ml, respectively. Mean blood cadmium level in Exposed group and control group was 1.53±1.05μl/dl, 0.60±0.49 μl/dl, respectively. Mean blood chromium level in exposed group and control group was 0.89±0.76μl/dl, 0.68±0.63μl/dl, respectively. Lead, zinc, cadmium and chromium level in blood of exposed group was significantly higher than that of control group. In the comparison of smoking status, lead, zinc and cadmium level of smoker's was significantly higher than that of non-smoker's. Comparison of heavy metal level by age, lead, zinc, cadmium level in 40's, 50's (exposed group) in blood significantly higher than that of 20's, 30's. In exposed group, working duration has no significant difference. In conclusion, smoking was the most hazardous factor to elevate in blood heavy metal levels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.121-130
• /
• 1991

Research was conducted to determine the micromineral status of grazing cattle in three climatic regions of the province of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Soil, forage, blood and liver samples were collected within the Western, Central and Eastern regions in February-March and August-September of 1987. Forages were deficient in copper, selenium and zinc. Serum copper was deficient in all regions but zinc was deficient more in the dry season. Liver copper was deficient in all regions and both seasons except in the central region in the rainy season. Based on the analyses, microminerals most likely deficient in both the rainy and dry seasons for each region were as follows: Western-copper, selenium and zinc; Central-manganese and copper; Eastern-selenium, copper and zinc. Some degree of molybdenum excess was found in the Eastern region.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.301-310
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships among zinc status, protein and phytate intake, and diabetic control indices of type 2 diabetic women. The mean age and the duration of diabetes were respectively 57.9±6.9 years old and 8.0±6.5 years. The mean daily energy intake of diabetic subjects was 1562 kcal. Both the zinc intake (6.2mg/day) and the zinc %RI (% of The Recommended Intake for zinc: 79.5%) of the diabetic participants were significantly lower than those of the control group (respectively p<0.01). As for the diabetic group, the higher the energy intake (kcal/day), the higher were the zinc intake (p<0.001) and %RI for zinc (p<0.001). Zinc intake was positively correlated with the protein (p<0.001), animal protein (p<0.001), and fat intake (p<0.001), but negatively correlated with the carbohydrate intake (p<0.001). Foods with high amount of phytate were the major source of zinc (p<0.01), but did not contribute to high zinc densities. The urinary zinc excretion was twice as high as in the diabetic group compared to the control group (p<0.001). In addition, the urinary zinc loss was positively correlated with the duration of diabetes (p<0.05), hyperglycemia (p<0.001) and insulin resistance (p<0.05). %RI for zinc was negatively correlated with the HbA1C (p<0.05). These results lead us to conclude that the appropriate intake of energy controlled by diet therapy could improve the total zinc intake and %RI for zinc in diabetic women. Also, normal blood glucose level controlled by diet therapy could improve the hyperzincuria. Dietetic practitioners should encourage consumption patterns that provide zinc-rich foods in the form of animal protein to improve the bioavailability as well as the total daily intake of zinc.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.3-9
• /
• 1999

This study was performed to investigate the biochemical status of iron, zinc and copper for 125 preschool children (Males : 69, Females : 56) residing in a low-income area of Seoul. The number of subjects aged, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were 19, 41, 41 and 24, respectively. The hemoglobin level of the children aged 3 was 11.8 g/dl and was lower thant hat of the other groups(p<0.05). Similar results were found for hematocrit and serum zinc. The percentage of children with an iron deficiency assessed by Hb(3-5) years : <11.0g/dl, 6 years: <11.5g/dl), Hct(3-6 years : 33%, 6 years : <35%), serum transferrin(<16%) and serum ferritin(<10ng/ml) were 4.3%, 9.5%, 8.2% and 17.7%, respectively. The mean serum zinc was 67.9$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl and urinary zinc was 0.1300mg/day. Low serum zinc (61.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl) occurred in 28.0% of the children. The mean serum copper was 110.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl and urinary copper was 0.0126mg/day. The prevalence of children with elevated serum copper($\geq$ 130$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl) was 54.8%, which was higher than 7.4%, the prevalence of low serum copper(<70$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl). Children with higher status, more weight, larger girth of chest, or larger midarm circumference showed higher values of Hb. The height and weight of children also showed a positive crrelation with serum zinc(P<0.001-P<0.05).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.8
• /
• pp.4627-4634
• /
• 2013

Chemoprotection refers to the use of specific natural or synthetic chemical agents to suppress or prevent the progression to cancer. The purpose of this study is to assess the protective effect of aspirin, vitamin C or zinc in a dimethyl hydrazine (DMH) colon carcinoma model in rats and to investigate the effect of these supplements on changes associated with colonic zinc status. Rats were randomly divided into three groups, group 1 (aspirin), group 2 (vitamin C) and group 3 (zinc), each being subdivided into two groups and given subcutaneous injection of DMH (30 mg/kg body wt) twice a week for 3 months and sacrificed at 4 months (A-precancer model) and 6 months (B-cancer model). Groups 1, 2, 3 were simultaneously given aspirin, vitamin C, or zinc supplement respectively from the beginning till the end of the study. It was observed that 87.5% of rats co-treated with aspirin or vitamin C showed normal colonic histology, along with a significant decrease in colonic tissue zinc at both time points. Rats co-treated with zinc showed 100% reduction in tumor incidence with no significant change in colonic tissue zinc. Plasma zinc, colonic CuZnSOD (copper-zinc superoxide dismutase) and alkaline phosphatase activity showed no significant changes in all 3 cotreated groups. These results suggest that aspirin, vitamin C or zinc given separately, exert a chemoprotective effect against chemically induced DMH colonic preneoplastic progression and colonic carcinogenesis in rats. The inhibitory effects are associated with maintaining the colonic tissue zinc levels and zinc enzymes at near normal without significant changes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.1211-1224
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the food sources of zinc and the usual intake of dietary zinc among Korean toddlers and preschool children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 2,679 children aged 1-5 years was selected from the 2009-2013 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data. Dietary data collected from a single 24-h recall were used to evaluate the food sources of zinc. To estimate usual zinc intake, the distribution obtained from single 24-h recall data in the total sample was adjusted using the ratio of within-to-between-person variance in zinc intake obtained from 2-day 24-h recall sub-sample data of the 2009 KNHANES. The proportion of children with usual zinc intake below the estimated average requirement (EAR) and above the tolerable upper intake level (UL) was assessed. RESULTS: The main sources of zinc in Korean children were grains, dairy products, and meat. The mean usual intakes of zinc among all individuals, those aged 1-2 yrs, and those aged 3-5 yrs were 5.50, 5.01, and 5.83 mg/d, respectively. In all participants, 1.1% of the children consumed zinc below the EAR, whereas 10.7% exceeded the UL. The proportion of children with excessive zinc intake was 25.6% in the 1-2 yrs age group and 0.6% in the 3-5 yrs age group. CONCLUSIONS: According to the current UL, the risk of excessive zinc intake appears to be high among Korean toddlers. Future studies that monitor the health effects of excessive zinc intake are needed to appropriately guide zinc intake in children.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.221-225
• /
• 2012

Zinc deficiency is known to be associated with insulin resistance in obese individuals. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors in obese Korean women. Forty obese women (body mass index (BMI) ${\geq}25kg/m^2$) aged 19-28 years were recruited for this study. Twenty women of the study group took 30 mg/day of supplemental zinc as zinc gluconate for 8 weeks and 20 women of control group took placebo. Usual dietary zinc intake was estimated from 3-day diet records. Insulin resistances were measured using Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) indices, and insulin sensitivities Matsuda indices, which were calculated using oral glucose tolerance test data. Metabolic risk factors, such as waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and adipocyte hormones such as leptin, and adiponectin were also measured. At the beginning of study, dietary zinc averaged 7.31 mg/day and serum zinc averaged $12.98{\mu}mol/L$ in the study group. Zinc supplementation increased serum zinc by 15% and urinary zinc by 56% (P < 0.05). HOMA values tended to decrease and insulin sensitivity increased slightly in the study group, but not significantly so. BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and adipocyte hormones did not change in either the study or control group. These results suggest that zinc status may not affect insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors in obese Korean women. Further research is required on a larger cohort with a longer follow-up to determine the effects of zinc status on insulin resistance and metabolic variables.