This research demonstrates that parents' own fruit and vegetable intake may encourage fruit and vegetable intake in their daughters, leading to higher micronutrient intakes and lower dietary fat intakes. Conversely, pressure to eat may discourage fruit and vegetable intake among young girls.

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Nutrition education for the elderly sometimes has obstacles because of resistance to change and apathy among the elderly. These obstacles have not been challenged by enough programs in nutrition education. Need exists to dispel misconceptions by professionals with respect to nutrition education programs for the elderly. Also, creativity in leadership is needed for nutrition education programs for the elderly. Focal points in this paper include: prevention and the elderly, intellectual capacity, long-standing eating habits, and degree of changes expected.Until recently, no major commitment has been made to health education for the elderly, and this is as true for nutrition as for other considerations that affect the health of older persons. Carlin (1975) concluded from a review of the literature that nutritionists have rarely addressed such important questions a s "the who, what, where, and when issues of nutrition education for this particular group."An even more fundamental question might be "why not?" What factors have accounted for this reluctance to support nutrition education for the elderly? There are at least four such factors; some apply to health education generally and some to nutrition education more specifically. Moreover, these factors reflect our understanding of and attitudes toward the aging process.

The zinc status and energy, protein, and zinc intakes of a group of 50 individuals, 65 years of age or older, residing in rural Pennsylvania have been described. Generally, this group was in good zinc status, although zinc intakes were considerably less than the RDA for most individuals. Energy intakes were generally adequate and protein intakes more than sufficient. It would appear possible to maintain adequate zinc status (as assessed by plasma and hair zinc determinations) with zinc intakes of less than the RDA; this may be facilitated by adequate energy and more than sufficient protein intakes.