Table 3.
Comparison regarding sociodemographic characteristics from placebo and supplemented groups before supplementation.
| Placebo (n = 34) | Supplemented (n = 26) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographic characteristics | |||
| Age (years) (mean ± SD) | 65.6 ± 13.2 | 59.0 ± 14.9 | 0.0860a |
| Sex (female), n (%) | 24 (70.6) | 15 (57.7) | 0.2994b |
| Smoking, n (%) | 4 (11.8) | 4 (15.4) | 0.7172c |
| Alcoholism, n (%) | 2 (5.9) | 7 (26.9) | 0.0323 c |
| Use of sunscreen, n (% ) | 22 (64.7) | 19 (73.1) | 0.4987b |
| Mean daily sunlight exposure (mean ± SD) | 199.4 ± 130.2 | 155.8 ± 112.5 | 0.2450a |
| Family history of cancer, n (%) | 24 (70.6) | 18 (69.2) | 0.9095b |
| Race, n (%) | 0.5072c | ||
| Caucasian | 5 (14.7) | 6 (23.1) | |
| Non-Caucasian | 29 (85.3) | 20 (76.9) | |
| Anthropometric parameters (mean ± SD) | |||
| BMI (kg/m2) | 27.0 ± 4.1 | 25.8 ± 3.2 | 0.3440a |
| TSF (mm) | 18.1 ± 7.4 | 17.5 ± 8.3 | 0.9100a |
| MUAC (cm) | 30.0 ± 4.7 | 30.2 ± 4.2 | 0.6710a |
| MAMC (cm) | 24.8 ± 4.0 | 24.1 ± 4.1 | 0.7670a |
| Daily intake levels (mean ± SD) | |||
| Vitamin A (μg) | 705.3 ± 778.6 | 428.2 ± 232.4 | 0.8817a |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 55.7 ± 47.6 | 54.2 ± 46.5 | 0.7326a |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 9.0 ± 4.0 | 9.9 ± 9.3 | 0.6157a |
| Cuprum (μg) | 950.0 ± 510.0 | 870.0 ± 280.0 | 0.0784a |
| Zinc (μg) | 7.1 ± 4.4 | 5.8 ± 2.4 | 0.1321a |
| Selenium (μg) | 79.8 ± 47.4 | 76.9 ± 21.5 | 0.1979a |
N = total of subjects/patients, SD = standard deviation, BMI = body mass index, TSF = triceps skinfold, MUAC = mid-upper-arm circumference, and MAMC = mid-arm muscle circumference. Statistical analysis: aMann-Whitney test; bChi-square test; cFisher's exact test.