Abstract
In 20 healthy infants and children, 5–20 months old, the Se intake was estimated by analysing food samples by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The intake was calculated by weighing the portions offered and actually consumed. The median Se content of the food amounted to 27 ng/g wet weight (gww) and median daily Se intake to 33.5 μg.
The Se intake was not equally distributed over the day. About 50% of the daily Se intake was derived from the supper. The main Se sources (41%) for young children were cereal paps. Commercially, available meals (30 ng/g) contained less Se than home-made ones (50 ng/g). In nine dietetically treated patients with phenylketonuria the median Se intake amounted only to 6.9 μg/day corresponding to a mean Se content of the diet of 7.9 ng/g. The main Se source in the diet was vegetables (36.3%) and 20% derived from their protein supplements.
The Se intake of young children, healthy or dietetically treated, cannot be calculated accurately from tables but must be estimated by measuring the Se content of the local food because cereals and vegetables-the main Se sources-exhibit great regional variations.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- Se:
-
selenium
- PKU:
-
phenylketonuria
- gww:
-
gram wet weight
References
Casey E, Guthrie BE, Friend GM, Robinson MF (1982) Selenium in human tissues from New Zealand. Arch Environ Health 37:133–135
Chen Xi, Yang G, Chen J, Chen Xu, Wen Z, Ge K (1980) Studies on the relations of selenium and Keshan disease. Biol Trace Element Res 2:91–107
Collip PJ, Chen SY (1981) Cardiomyopathy and selenium deficiency in a two-year-old girl. N Engl J Med 304:1304–1305
Douglas JS, Morris VC, Soares JH, Levander OA (1981) Nutritional availability to rats of selenium in tuna, beef kidney and wheat. J Nutr 111:2180–2187
Ebert KH, et al. (1984) Z Ernährungswiss (in press)
Food and nutrition board / National research council, recommended dietary allowances (1980) 9th revised edn, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, USA
Gibson RS, De Wolfe MS (1980) The dietary trace metal intake of some Canadian full-term and low birthweight infants during the first twelve months of infancy. J Can Diet Ass 41:206–215
Greger JL, Marcus RE (1981) Effect of dietary protein, phosphorus, and sulfit amino acids on selenium metabolism of adult males., Ann Nutr Metab 25:97–108
Johnson RA, Baker SS, Fallon JT, Maynard EP, Ruskin JN, Wen Z, Ge K, Cohen HJ (1981) An occidental case of cardiomyopathy and selenium deficiency. N Engl J Med 304:1210–1212
Kasperek K (1974) Analytical techniques for the determination of 20 trace elements in biological samples by means of instrumental thermal neutron activation analysis. In: Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on nuclear methods in environmental research. US Energy Research and Development Administration. CONF 740701
Levander OA (1976) Selenium in foods. In: Proceedings of the symposium on selenium-tellurium in the environment. Indust Health Foundation, Pittsburgh, USA p 26
Levander OA, Morris VC (1970) Interactions of methionine vitamin E, and antioxidants in selenium toxicity in the rat. J Nutr 100:1111–1118
Levander OA, Aflthan G, Arvilommi H, Huttunen JK, Kataja M, Koivistoinen P, Pikkarainen J (1983) Bioavailability of selenium to Finnish men as assessed by platelet glutathione peroxidase activity and other blood parameters. Am J Clin Nutr 3:887–897
Lombeck I, Kasperek K, Harbisch HD, Feinendegen LE, Bremer HJ (1977) The selenium state of healthy children. I. Serum selenium concentration at different ages; activity of glutathione peroxidase of erythrocytes at different ages; selenium content of food of infants. Eur J Pediatr 125:81–88
Lombeck I, Kasperek K, Harbisch HD, Becker K, Schumann E, Schröter W, Feinendegen LE, Bremer HJ (1978) The selenium state of children. II. Selenium content of serum. Whole blood, hair and the activity of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase in dietetically treated patients with phenylketonuria and maplesyrup-urine disease. Eur J Pediatr 128:213–223
Lombeck I, Kasperek K, Bonnermann B, Feinendegen LE, Bremer HJ (1978) Selenium content of human milk, cow's milk and cow's milk infant formulas. Eur J Pediatr 129:139–145
McKenzie RL, Rea HM, Thomson CD, Robinson MF (1978) Selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in blood of New Zealand infants and children. Am J Clin Nutr 31:1413–1418
Menzel H, Steiner G, Lombeck I, Ohnesorge FK (1983) Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase activity of platelets. Eur J Pediatr 140:244–247
Morris VC, Levander OA (1970) Selenium content of foods. J Nutr 100:1383–1388
Musa-Alzubaidi I, Lombeck I, Kasperek K, Feinendegen LE, Bremer HJ (1982) Hair selenium content during infancy and childhood. Eur J Pediatr 139:295–296
Robinson MF, Thomson CD (1983) The role of selenium in the diet. Nutr Abstr Rev Clin Nutr 53:3–26
Sakurai H, Tsuchiya K (1975) A tentative recommendation for the maximum daily intake of selenium. Environ Physiol Biochem 5:107–118
Smith AM, Picciano MF, Milner JA (1982) Selenium intake and status of human milk and formula fed infants. Am J Clin Nutr 35:521–526
Stolley H, Kersting M, Droese W (1982) Energie und Nährstoffbedarf von Kindern im Alter von 1–14 Jahren. Ergeb Inn Med Kinderheilkd 48:1–75
Sunde RA, Gutzke GE, Hoekstra WC (1981) Effect of dietary methionine on the biopotency of selenite and selenomethionine in the rat. J Nutr 111:76–86
Thompson JM, Erdody P, Smith DC (1975) Selenium content of food consumed by Canadians. J Nutr 105:274–277
Thomson CD, Robinson MF (1980) Selenium in human health and disease with emphasis on those aspects peculiar to New Zealand. Am J Clin Nutr 33:303–323
Thomson CD, Robinson MF, Campbell DR, Rea HM (1982) Effect of prolonged supplementation with daily supplements of selenomethionine and sodium selenite on glutathione peroxidase activity in blood of New Zealand residents. Am J Clin Nutr 36:24–31
Thorn J, Robertson J, Buss BH (1978) Trace elements, selenium in British food. Br J Nutr 39:391–396
Varo P, Koivistoinen P (1981) Annual variations in the average selenium intake in Finland cereal products and milk as sources of selenium in 1979/80. Intrnat J Vit Nutr Res 51:79–84
Watkinson JH (1974) The selenium status of New Zealanders. NZ Med J 80:202–205
Zabel NL, Harland J, Gormican AT, Ganther HE (1978) Selenium content of commercial formula diets. Am J Clin Nutr 31:850–858
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lombeck, I., Ebert, K.H., Kasperek, K. et al. Selenium intake of infants and young children, healthy children and dietetically treated patients with phenylketonuria. Eur J Pediatr 143, 99–102 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00445794
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00445794