Abstract

The effect of meal service for home-staying, urban elderly with low income on their mineral status and prevalence of clinical symptoms was evaluated. One hundred. One hundred and eighty three subjects were assigned to meal-served(served) and non-served(non-served)groups. A meal containing approximately one half of the RDA for energy, protein, calcium and iron was served as lunch every day to served group at a welfare center. Dietary, biochemical and clinical data were collected before and after 6 months of meal service and the changes of parameters were analyzed with paired t-test. served female showed significantly increased intake of calcium. The mean hemoglobin, serum iron, TIBC and serum copper of female were significantly increase with meal service. The proportion of anemic female compared to reference data on hemoglobin, hematocrit and serum iron were 45.5$\%$, 29.1$\%$ and 16.4$\%$ respectively, but were lowered to 18.2$\%$, 7.3$\%$, and 5.5$\%$ after 6 months of meal service. served male showed significant increase in MCHC, serum copper, and urinary Na. The urinary Ca/Creatinine, which is often used as an index of bone resorption, was decreased significantly in served group. The decrease in the proportion of served women suffering from edema of ankle and diarrhea was most apparent and less women reported feeling clinical symptoms of dizziness, constipation, difficulty in hearing, and coughing after meal service. The symptoms of benumbness of hands and feet and coughing was lowered most among men after meal service. Clinical symptoms of non-served elderly did not show improvement in feeling clinical symptoms except slightly decreased frequency in coughing of female and buzzing sound in the ears and diarrhea of male.

• Keywords: elderly; effect of meal service; mineral status; clinical symptoms;