Zinc Absorption from Representative Diet in a Chinese Elderly Population Using Stable Isotope Technique

Objective To determine the dietary zinc absorption in a Chinese elderly population and provide the basic data for the setting of zinc （Zn） recommended nutrient intakes （RNI） for Chinese elderly people. Methods A total of 24 elderly people were recruited for this study and were administered oral doses of 3 mg 67Zn and 1.2 mg dysprosium on the fourth day. The primary macronutrients, energy, and phytic acid in the representative diet were examined based on the Chinese National Standard Methods. Fecal samples were collected during the experimenta and dysprosium content. period and analyzed for zinc content, 67Zn isotope ratio, Results The mean （± SD） zinc intake from the representative Chinese diet was 10.6 ± 1.5 mg/d. The phytic acid-to-zinc molar ratio in the diet was 6.4. The absorption rate of 67Zn was 27.9% ±9.2%. The RNI of zinc, which were calculated by the absorption rate in elderly men and women, were 10.4 and 9.2 mg/d, respectively. Conclusion This study got the dietary Zn absorption in a Chinese elderly population. We found that Zn absorption was higher in elderly men than in elderly women. The current RNI in elderly female is lower than our finding, which indicates that more attention is needed regarding elderly females＇ zinc status and health.

Prevalence and influence factors of self-medication in Chinese middle-aged and elderly people: evidence from 2011, 2013 and 2015 CHARLS panel data

Self-medication is an increasingly frequent phenomenon worldwide and has an important influence on health.In this study,we analyzed the self-medication prevalence rate in Chinese middle-aged and elderly people,and explored the influence factors.The data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS)in 2011,2013 and 2015 were used.Self-medication prevalence was calculated as the number of whole people divided by the number of people taking self-medication.The influence factors of self-medication were analyzed by panel data random effect model.We excluded observations with missing values in our analysis,leaving 16 962,17 876 and 19 572 observations in 2011,2013 and 2015,respectively.The average 3-year self-medication prevalence was 45.52%.Moreover,11.70%of respondents practiced self-medication with prescription medicine in 2011,2013 and 2015.Respondents living in non-rural areas(P=0.009)and western region(P=0.000)took more self-medication.Self-medication was a common phenomenon among middle-aged and elderly population in China.The government should strengthen the guidance for the middle-aged and elderly people who took more self-medication,such as those living in urban and western region.

Aged People in Chinese Society and Housing Planning for the Elderly People

China is galloping to a society of aged people,accord-ing to the Fourth National Population Survey,there hasbeen 97.38 million people over 60 years of age,accountingfor 8.59% of the total population.In other words,there hasbeen an increase of 0.95 Percentage than that of the ThirdNational Population Survey in 1982.The number of elderlypeople increased in the 8 years period at the annual rate of3.02%,which was one time higher than the average total in-crease(1.48). Five cities and provinces,namely,Shanghai,Beijing,Tianjin,Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Provincehave already become aged society.By the end of 1991,elder-ly People has reached 100 million.It is estimated that by2000, China will enter aged People’society with the totalamount of 131 million elderly people,accounting for 10%of the total population.Problems of the elderly People are vitally important so-cial issues.We often say that the children are the future ofmankind and there is no hope for the human being Withoutthe healthy development of

METABONOMICS CHARACTERISTICS OF MIDDLE-AGED AND ELDERLY CHINESE PEOPLE WITH QI-INSUFFICIENCY CONSTITUTION

The aim of the work was to investigate the metabonomic characteristics of qi-insufficiency constitution among middle-aged and elderly healthy Chinese people.All healthy Chinese participants were screened from 2012annual health check-up for middle-aged and elderly community residents(=50 years old)at Chajiao community,