NUTRITIONAL STATE OF BETA-CAROTENE AND RETINOL IN INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS OF MEXICO-CITY

A study of the nutritional status of beta-carotene and retinol of 228 institutionalized elderly individuals, in four elderly homes of Mexico City was carried out. Subjects varied between 61 and 101 years of age (151 were females and 77 were males). High pressure liquid chromatogr aphy was used to quantitate retinol and beta-carotene. Ninety eight pe rcent of elderly individuals showed beta-carotene levels less than acc eptable (at risk); 85.2% were deficient (high risk), and 12.9% were lo w (medium risk), only 1.85% had acceptable values (low risk), Ninety t wo percent of subjects had acceptable values (low risk) of retinol, wh ile 6.0% and 2.0% were low (medium risk) and deficient (high risk) res pectively There were not significant differences among the four elderl y homes. No significant correlation with age was found for any of the two vitamins. No sex related difference (p > 0.05) was observed in ser um vitamin A and beta-carotene in either group.