OBJECTIVE: Assessing the intake of antioxidant minerals in elderly and checking the levels of adequacy, as well as the correlation between the ingestion of these minerals with the body mass index (BMI), sex and age. METHODOLOGY:A study was carried out with 51 elders, above 60 years old, at the Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology from São Lucas's Hospital (PUC-RS). A food frequency questionnaire and a 24hour-recall were applied to evaluate the minerals intake in accordance with the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI), considering the adequate intake (AI), the estimated average requirement (EAR) and recommended dietary intake (RDA).. To evaluate the anthropometric measures, the BMI were used. The 24hour-recall was analyzed through the Nutrition Support Software (Nutwin). RESULTS: In the studied group women predominated (78,4%). The middle BMI was 27.7kg/m ². The copper was the mineral that presented higher percentage of adequacy (54.9%), regarding the recommendations of the RDA. Inferior values of ingestion from zinc and manganese to the recommendations of the EAR were found in the feminine population, respectively, 57.5 % and 55%; however, values of ingestion higher than RDA recommendations for the same minerals were detected in the male population (45.5 % and 63.3 %). Selenium was the mineral with higher percentage of inadequacy (98%) and manganese was the only one that presented a reverse correlation between the variables, consumption and age. CONCLUSION: The study identified an insufficient ingestion of the evaluated minerals, showing the need for more attention in the dietetic prescription of the elderly population, knowing that they are very important in the prevention of some diseases, especially non-communicable chronic diseases.
Minerals; Antioxidants; Oxidative Stress; Elderly