title: Zinc and copper status in childbearing age Tunisian women: Relation to age, residential area, socioeconomic situation and physiologic characteristics.
abstract: Plasma zinc and copper status of 1689 non pregnant Tunisian women, aged 20-49 years old, was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. A multiple regression was run to predict plasma trace element concentrations from age, BMI, marital status, menopause, education level, professional activity, economic level and area of living. The mean zinc and copper values were similar to those measured among comparable populations in earlier studies. However, a high prevalence of low plasma zinc and copper concentrations was observed assuming that women at childbearing age are at high risk of zinc and copper deficiencies and specific intervention may be considered. In univariate analysis, the mean values of plasma zinc and copper were associated with sitting areas and professional activity. For only plasma copper levels, there was an increase with BMI and parity, and a decrease with increasing schooling level and economic score. After adjustment for all variables, profession and parity showed a significant relationship between plasma levels copper.
authors: Laboratoire de Toxicologie, Unité de Toxicologie Recherche et Environnement, 10, rue Abou El Kacem Chabbi, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis Cedex, Tunisia. Electronic address: mfh22002@yahoo.fr.
authors: Myriam
authors: M
authors: El Ati-Hellal
authors: Laboratoire de Surveillance et Epidémiologie nutritionnelles en Tunisie (SURVEN), Institut National de nutrition et de Technologie Alimentaire, 11 Rue Jebel Lakhdar, 1007 Bab Saadoun, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Radhouene
authors: R
authors: Doggui
authors: Laboratoire de Toxicologie, Unité de Toxicologie Recherche et Environnement, 10, rue Abou El Kacem Chabbi, Montfleury, 1008 Tunis Cedex, Tunisia.
authors: Abderrazek
authors: A
authors: Hedhili
authors: IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), NUTRIPASS Unit, IRD-UM-SupAgro, Montpellier, France.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Traissac
authors: Laboratoire de Surveillance et Epidémiologie nutritionnelles en Tunisie (SURVEN), Institut National de nutrition et de Technologie Alimentaire, 11 Rue Jebel Lakhdar, 1007 Bab Saadoun, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Jalila
authors: J
authors: El Ati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class; D014131:Trace Elements; D014416:Tunisia; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Economic characteristics; Environmental factors; Human blood plasma; Socio-demographic factors; Trace metal status; Tunisian women