Abstract:

Introduction:Obesity is described as excessive accumulation of fat in some target organs of the body, and when associated with zinc deficiency leads to increased adipose tissue raising the risk of obesity-related complications. Objective:To evaluate the dietary intake of zinc in obese women.Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed with 88 women aged 20-60 years, divided into two groups: the obese group (n = 48) and the control group (n = 40). In the data collection, the anthropometric measurements were checked, and the 3-day food record was applied for food consumption assessment. The data were analyzed in the SPSS version 18.0 program. Results:The mean values of Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, Waist-Hip Ratio and percentage of body fat were as expected higher in the case group, with significant difference between groups (p = 0.001). Macronutrient intake was in accordance with the recommendations; however, consumption was higher in obese women, with a significant difference in carbohydrate and protein intake (p <0.01). Regarding zinc consumption, both groups presented intake below the recommendation, with a significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Obese women presented a very high risk for the development of cardiovascular disease. Food intake revealed an adequate intake of macronutrients and zinc intake was below the recommendation in both groups, with higher consumption evidenced in obese women, suggesting changes in mineral metabolism.

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