NUTRIENT CONTENT IN THE DAILY DIET FROM SELECTED NURSING-HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE GERMAN STATE OF HESSEN 2ND REPORT - MINERALS

Daily diet from 20 nursing homes for the elderly in the German state o f Hessen were collected over a period of seven days. After weighing an d protocoling, the components of the meals were combined to one sample per day. The homogenized samples were analyzed for the minerals sodiu m, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, c opper, nickel, and chromium. For evaluation of the nutrient value the mineral contents were compared to the recommendations of the German As sociation for Nutrition (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Ernahrung) for nutr ient intake of the elderly. Whereas mean content of sodium and of calc ulated sodium chloride per day drastically exceeded the recommendation , the magnesium and chromium recommendations were not reached by far. Regarding high nutrient density requirements with respect to a lower e nergy demand, only a few diets could reach the recommendations for cal cium, magnesium, iron, and zinc density given for the elderly.