Selected Vitamin Status of Elderly People in Southern Utah Measured Biochemically and Dietarily, and Correlated to Their Perceived Status

• Main Author: Faddis, Karen
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 1976
• Subjects: selected; vitamin; status; elderly; people; southern; utah; measure; biochemically; diet; Nutrition
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/3237; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4245&context=etd

The purpose of this study was to analyze the diets of elderly people in southern Utah. Three types of information were used in the analysis: biochemical, dietary, and the subject's analysis of his diet. Four vitamins were studied: vitamin A, ascorbic acid, thiamin, and riboflavin. Dietary data was obtained on the four vitamins and compared by sex and by age. Thiamin and riboflavin dietary levels were evaluated using the index of Nutritional Quality (INQ), to determine the quality of the diet according to the total calories consumed. Seasonal differences between fall and spring data were evaluated. Plasma vitamin A, plasma carotene and plasma ascorbic acid levels were determined. Plasma vitamin A and plasma ascorbic acid levels were also compared by age, sex, and season. Urinary thiamin and urinary riboflavin levels were evaluated. The last part of the paper shows the correlation between dietary versus perceived; and dietary versus biochemical status for the four vitamins.