Vitamin C status in elderly women: a comparison between women living in a nursing home and women living independently.
The vitamin C status in blood fractions in 135 elderly women aged 65 years and older was studied within the framework of the Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System. Mean (+/- standard deviation) vitamin C intake (mg/day) was lower among women living in a nursing home (54 +/- 27 mg/day) than among women living in service flats (97 +/- 55 mg/day) and women living independently (132 +/- 44 mg/day). (Service flats are apartments in which the rent includes housekeeping and, when ordered, meal service.) Marginal vitamin C values (< 23 mumol/L) in blood fractions and even levels as low as those found in clinical scurvy (< 11 mumol/L) were frequently observed. In the nursing home, 35% of the women had plasma vitamin C values below 11 mumol/L, and 23% had values between 11 and 23 mumol/L. Blood levels were not significantly affected by age, smoking status, or use of particular drugs but were strongly (r = .47 or, after logarithmic transformation, r = .64) associated with daily intake of vitamin C. Low intake of vitamin C resulted from an overall low food consumption and selective restriction of food products rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C losses caused by food preparation practices and distribution in the nursing home's catering system reduced actual vitamin C intake levels but these losses were not substantially greater than those that are assumed to occur as a result of preparation practices by women living independently.
Löwik
M R
MR
Department of Nutrition, TNO Toxicology and Nutrition Institute, Zeist, The Netherlands.
Hulshof
K F
KF
Schneijder
P
P
Schrijver
J
J
Colen
A A
AA
van Houten
P
P
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D005522:Food Services; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012907:Smoking
D001205:Ascorbic Acid