A Study on Nutritional Status of the Buddhist Population in The Area of Wu-Tai Mountain

The nutritional status of 63 Buddhist population(Monks Lamas and Nuns) in the area of Wu-Tai Muntain were investigated. The result showed that the intake of energy and all nutrients was less than RDA to varying degrees. Especially in protein, calcium, retinol, ribofiavin, ascorbic acid kand zinc were greatly lacking. Serum levels of total protein, hemoglobin, retinol, ascorbic acid, copper and coper/zinc were less than the normal respectively. Almost all Buddhist population's contents of cholesterol and tiglycerides were underthe normal, except that a few lamas. In urinary loading testriboflavin and ascorbic acid were seriously inadequate. Furthermore the anemia and the insufficiency of total protein andretionl were seriously displayed in Monks and Nuns, while theinsufficiency of ascorbic acid and the exceeding the normal of trig y cerides were seriously showed in lamas. The result of anthropometry showed that about 10% people among the Buddkhist population suffer ded from dificiency diseases of retinol, riboflavin and ascorbic acid. Besides, the insufficiency of total profein and the rate of anemia could be effectively reduced if intake of over 20% of high-quality protein could beretainedon on condition that the intake of protein was under RDA. Contents of cholesterol and trigly cerides may be redued when the fat was took in was mainly vegetable fat.