A total of 107 women from a region in urban China in Jiangsu Province were selected to examine an effect of mineral intake on their health status. This study includes questionnaires, physical examinations and biochemistries of blood and urine samples. The daily intake was measured using 24 h dietary recall as well as seven-day food frequency record. Consequently, Chinese women exceed in body weight and height than age adjusted Japanese women with a lower incidence of obesity. An extremely low prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and liver dysfunction among Chinese population also shows an overall superiority in their health status. A daily total caloric intake of Chinese women are almost the same level with the Japanese women, while their mean fat intake exceeds 10g per day more than that of Japanese women. The majority of vitamin intake of Chinese women are sufficient to meet their physiological requirements. Daily mineral intake is as follows; Na 2991 mg (3193 mg), K 1539 mg (856 mg). P 890 mg, Ca 392 mg (220 mg), Mg 270 mg (149 mg), Fe 20 mg (15 mg), Cu 2.0 mg (1.1 mg), Zn 10 mg (7.9 mg), Mn 6 .1 mg (2.7 mg), Se 42 mg (24 h recall determination). As a result, Chinese women take more magnesium, iron and copper than Japanese women. The role of these dietary pattern in their health status might be elucidated by extending these nutritional survey to another part of China, as we already performed.
