Iron, Zinc, Manganese and Copper Intakes in Japanese Children Aged 3 to 5 Years

Abstract

Summary This study aimed to measure and evaluate the intakes for the four trace elements of Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu in 3-to 5-y-old Japanese preschool children. The study group consisted of a total of 90 3-to 5-y-old children living in Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan. Diet samples were collected by the duplicate-portion technique on 3 d at three different seasons between summer in 1999 and winter in 2000. The medians of annual mean daily intakes (25th-75th percentile) of Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu in the 3-to 5-y-old children were 3.1 mg (2.4 to 3.6), 4.0 mg (3.4 to 4.7), 1.3 mg (1.1 to 1.6), and 0.45 mg (0.35 to 0.56), respectively. The annual mean value of the total daily diet intake had significant correlations with the Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu intakes (Spearman's r ϭ 0.55, 0.67, 0.58, and 0.55, respectively; p Ͻ 0.001 for all). There were significant correlations between each mineral intake. The Zn and Mn intakes had differences among ages ( p ϭ 0.003 and 0.005, respectively) and the Zn intake significantly differed between boys and girls ( p ϭ 0.031). The proportion of subjects whose Mn intake was the AI or less was 82%, and the proportions of subjects whose Fe, Zn, and Cu intakes were the estimated average requirements (EARs) or less were 72, 83, and 13%, respectively. Many Japanese children are deficient in Fe and Zn compared with the dietary reference intakes (DRIs). However, data in a balance study examining intakes and excretion of trace minerals are insufficient in children and DRIs for trace elements may change in future.

The estimated daily manganese intake of Korean children aged 11-12

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An Assessment of the Consumption of Energy and Selected Minerals and Their Content in the Hair of Children Aged 1–4 Years

“…They observed that the average Cu consumption fully satisfied the demand for this element. Goshima et al [ 29 ] also did not observe Cu deficits in the DFRs of children aged 3–5 years.…”

Assessing the dietary intake of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper in institutionalised children and adolescents from Guatemala. Contribution of nutritional supplements

“…It has been reported that children and adolescents from developing countries, such as India or Iran, may be at risk of Zn deficiency because of unwholesome food habits and the poor bioavailability of Zn from plant-based diets [23,41]. In the same sense, Goshima et al [42] have reported that many Other trials have demonstrated the efficacy of food fortification and dietary interventions in reducing Zn deficiency in children from Vietnam and Kenya [34,44].…”