The serum calcium levels of patients were assessed as they attended a district hospital in a rural population for a period of one month. A majority of the patients were between the age group of 38-77 years. 55 cases were studied. The ratio of males to females was 3:8. The results show an increase in abnormal serum calcium level with age. The abnormality in serum calcium was higher in females than in males. The demonstration of poor nutritional intake and lack of other calcium supplements was a predisposing factor to the abnormal calcium levels. It was concluded that the abnormal levels of calcium were as a result of lack of calcium diet.
Calcium is one of the main electrolytes in body fluids. In the body, 99% of calcium is found in bones for the mineralization of bones [
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The people of the rural population under study live on yams as their main source of food. The population of this area is made up of elderly people due to rural-urban migration of the young and middle age adults in search for greener pastures. These people frequent the hospital due to pains in their muscles and bones.
A study of 55 cases with age range from 38 - 77 years and belonging to both genders was conducted on “serum calcium in relation to their diet” at a district hospital. The study was carried out from April to May 2013.
Patients who were registered to the laboratory for serum calcium test responded to questionnaires from the researcher. The questionnaires were filled face to face with the respondents by the researcher and one assistant. It included information on usual diet intake and physical wellbeing of the respondents.
For the question on usual diet, the responses were categorized into 1) yams only 2) yams with meat or fish 3) yams, meat or fish and other milk products.
For questions on the physical wellbeing, responses were categorized into 1) physically fine 2) mild body pains 3) serious body pains.
Statistical analysis of data generated was done with statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The data was analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). P < 0.05 is considered significant.
Venous blood was collected in plain vacutainers and serum was immediately separated by centrifugation. The serum samples were then stored at 4˚C and analyzed within 24 hours.
Over a period of one month, 55 cases were analyzed for serum calcium levels. The age group of the cases ranged from 38 - 77 years with a males-to-females ratio of 3:8. There was an increase in abnormality of calcium levels with age shown on