Selenium status in Southern Tasmania.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the selenium status of Southern Tasmanians.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
One thousand and five hundred adults randomly selected from the electoral roll living in the Greater Hobart region of Southern Tasmania, Australia, were invited to participate.


METHODS
The overall response rate was 22% (335/1500).


METHODS
A venous blood sample was collected and a questionnaire administered (consisting of brief demographic details and health questions) to subjects who granted informed consent. A previously validated assay using magnetic sector ICP-MS was employed for plasma analysis.


RESULTS
Total plasma selenium levels for this sample population were normally distributed with a mean level of 110 microg/l (range 67-268 microg/l) indicating that the majority of the subjects were not selenium-depleted (71% with levels greater than 100 microg/l). Adjustment for differential age/gender response rates produced similar values. More women under 50 (42%) and men over 50 (32%) had selenium levels <100 microg/l with the potential for sub-optimal selenoprotein activity. Low education attainment was associated with low total selenium level (P<0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of participants were not deficient in selenium. Given the narrow therapeutic window of supplementation, dietary advice to increase foods rich in selenium, particularly to higher risk groups, may be an effective means of increasing plasma selenium toward target levels.
Jacobson
G A
GA
School of Pharmacy, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Glenn.Jacobson@utas.edu.au
Tong
Y C
YC
Townsend
A T
AT
Featherstone
A M
AM
Ball
M
M
Robertson
I K
IK
Peterson
G M
GM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013648:Tasmania
D000975:Antioxidants; D012643:Selenium