Nutritional assessment of senior rural Utahns by biochemical and physical measurements

Biochemical composition of blood and urine was used to evaluate the nutritional status of 187 ambulatory, older residents of five rural Utah communities. Measurements were also taken of height, weight, and blood pressure. The sample included 58 men and 129 women, with a mean age of 69 years. No deficiencies were observed for hemoglobin, hematocrit, and serum iron levels, although approximately 15% of the men had low levels for the first two indices. Serum mineral status for zinc, copper, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium was adequate for most of the participants. Of the women 40% and of the men 21% had low serum total protein levels. No low serum levels of vitamin A and carotene were observed. Urinary excretion of riboflavin and thiamine was high for approximately 90% of the participants. Of the women 46% and of the men 37% had serum cholesterol values above 249 mg/100 ml of serum. One half of the women and 30% of the men were determined to be obese. Approximately one-fourth of both sexes had systolic pressures above 160 mm Hg.