Evaluation of Dietary Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium Intake in Female University Students

Abstract

This study aimed to measure and evaluate the intakes of four antioxidant trace elements, namely, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Se in 19-29y-old female university students in Korea. Diet data were collected by 3-day dietary records in 644 subjects. The mean age, height, weight and body mass index of the subjects were 20.08 years, 161.77 cm, 54.26 kg and 20.82 kg/m , respectively. The mean, median and 25th-75th percentile intakes of Zn, Cu, Mn, and Se in the subjects were 12.83 mg (12.40 mg, 9.59 to 15.34), 1.30 mg (1.27 mg, 1.00 to 1.57), 3.19 mg (3.12 mg, 2.45 to 3.86), and 50.90 µg (50.17 µg, 37.59 to 64.35), respectively. The proportion of subjects whose Mn intake was adequate or less was 62.89%, and the proportions of subjects whose Zn, Cu and Se intakes were at the estimated average requirements or less were 10.09, 4.97, and 39.60%, respectively. The major food group for dietary intakes of Zn, Cu, Mn, and Se was cereal, providing 8.55 mg (66.60%), 0.78 mg (59.93%), 2.09 mg (65.50%), and 16.83 µg (32.43%), respectively. Many female university students were deficient in Mn and Se compared with the dietary reference intakes. Therefore, except for cereal, it is required to consume a diet consisted of various food sources for increasing the intakes of antioxidant trace minerals, especially animal food groups. (Korean J Community Nutr 17(2) : 146~155, 2012)