Nutritional status of vitamin A and E in institutionalized elderly people in Granada (Spain)

A study has been carried out on the nutritional status of vitamin A and E in 93 institutionalized elderly people in Granada (Spain) by studying their vitamin intake and the serum values of retinol and a-tocopherol. The influence of lipid intake and lipids in plasma has been also discussed. The vitamin A intake is higher than the recommended amount and represent 209% DR in men and 217% DR in women. The vitamin E intake is deficient in 33% of the men and 27% of the women. The serum values of retinol indicate that 11% of the women have a deficiency (< 0.7 mu M), and that 39% of the men and 32% of the women have low values (0.7-1.22 mu M). As for the serum values of alpha-tocopherol, 6% of the women have deficient values, and 82% of the men and 37% of the women have low values (11.6-23.2 mu M).