Chemical analysis of minerals content in daily diets of children and adolescents grown up in Krakow orphanages.

BACKGROUND Numerous studies attest to the role that inappropriate food product groups in the human diet, including children and adolescents diet, leading to abnormal intakes of many important nutrients, such as minerals. OBJECTIVES These studies were undertaken to assess the coverage of the recommended values for chosen minerals by 205 children and adolescents between the ages of 4 and 20 years, grown up in Krakow orphanages. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sodium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, calcium and potassium concentrations in 112 diets of children and adolescents from 7 selected orphanages in Krakow in every season of the year were performed using AAS method. Results obtained were compared to recommended standards in Poland. RESULTS Intakes of calcium and potassium were usually too low whilst adequate levels of dietary magnesium and calcium were seen only for the youngest children. Recommended dietary levels of zinc were met in all cases and mostly also for iron and copper. Sodium intakes were however excessive. CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrates that regular a monitoring and adjusting of the diet is necessary for the assessed children and adolescents in order to correct dietary abnormalities.