Intakes of twenty-four mineral elements by Finnish rural children

Authors

• Leena Räsänen Department of Public Health, University of Tampere, P. 0. Box 607, 33101 Tampere 10
• Marja Nuurtamo Department of Food Chemistry and Technology, University of Helsinki, 00710 Helsinki 71

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72076

Abstract

Intakes of twenty-four mineral elements were calculated applying the composition data from the Mineral Element Study (KOIVISTOINEN 1980) to the amounts of food consumed by 1607 Finnish children aged 5, 9 and 13 years (RÄSÄNEN and AHLSTRÖM 1975). The mean daily intakes of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and manganese exceeded the recommended daily intakes in all age groups and that of iron in the 5- and 9-year-old groups. The intakes of zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum, fluorine and chromium were lower than recommended in all age groups studied. The main sources of minerals were the food groups milk and milk products and cereals and cereal products, which supplied more than 50 per cent of the total intake of most mineral elements. The intakes of essential mineral elements would increase If the share of refined foods such as dietary fats, sugar and candy were to be decreased in the children s diet.