Blood levels of selected nutritional status indicators in young men from a rapidly modernizing society in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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Abstract
Some blood levels of selected indicators of nutritional status were assesed in young adult males among the rapidly modernizing bedouin society of Abu Dhabi. Blood specimens from 30 indigenous army recruits were tested for the following: packed cell volume, total serum proteins, albumin, globulins, serum transferrin, serum calcium (total and ionized), serum iron, and total folates in serum and in red blood cells. A control group consisted of 10 male expatriate laboratory personnel of similar age. Except for iron and folates, all parameters were within normal range. Although the average serum iron was normal, 13.3% of the army recruits were serum iron deficient. The mean serum folate in both groups fell within the indeterminate range with two deficient recruits. The mean red blood cell folate was in the low normal value in the local people with one-third of them in the borderline range, and two deficiencies with no pathological effects. The control group was well within the acceptable normal range of red blood cell folate and the difference between the means of both samples was significant. Inappropriate amounts of vegetables in the diet and prolonged cooking may be the cause of such folate inadequacy.