Background: Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development of the organism. During intense growth and maturation changes taking place in the body, it cost higher demand for energy and nutrients including minerals.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the intake of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese with daily diets by children aged 10-12 years.
Materials and methods: Assessment of intake of mineral compounds from daily diets was conduced with using 24 hours recall. Data were collected in spring and autumn of 2006 in randomly selected primary schools in Krakow and Skawina. Average intake of minerals (Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) with daily diets by respondents and the meeting of requirements was estimated with using the computer softwere Diet 2.
Results: In almost all cases intake of minerals with daily diets did not meet requirements. Daily dies of children did not met requirements for major minerals i.e. calcium and magnese, and for trace minerals copper, zinc, iron. Insufficient intake of calcium, while fully covering the demand for phosphorus, resulted in improper ratio these minerals in the diet (0.62 at the recommended, of 1). Intake of manganese and potassium fully covered demand, while the sodium and salt were taken in excess.
Conclusions: To low intake of minerals compounds by children may increase the risk of development of diet non-communicable diseases.