t Jadin~ Iodine i_.., an t",.,·ntial rnmpon Pnl,,( th,, ll1;-;-,,it1 br,rm,,n,,. th:,Tn-un II L found 111 ,;e;1foo<b '>urh :i<. fi-,h :rnd ~. :;,v.,·rih.,n,j,,,di,,,..J ~It. J..fi..-j,,n,:y.,, i,din,. re,,I in a Rpt't"lnim uf <'t Jntliuon~ ~ud, ;1, p,r,ilf r (rh:--r11ld,·nlar;trmrnl /. yo"'1h w Yr<iatlrm. cretini~m. m,nt:ll n:t. 1rdation, and hyp,,1hyr<1id L~m. Fluorine F111nrin1: j-. an cs,(.-nual rnini·ral,d1ich hl"lp, in Lh P fonnatirm o(btm.-anrl t,,rtl, It is. ncc~"ar:,· t,, pre·. ·P. nt <lenta. l.-an~. 11tf' mr)",t ~·.,mm<1n v,un. ·t· 11f flw,nd, · ilnnl<inr,i ..-atcr hu1 in plac(::'I "· here th! IP. n!l t!t Irr.... 011Jn1fat1on 1, n:cnmmr nr J,.,J. Otlwr «,11n.,~ are fish and tea. \\11P. n Cl')n,;umr J m la111,P am"unu.. llunnd, r-. in ti, 111"11" Ctl11tir,,.-l-1. ). Dental fiour-o'ii. s is manife:-ted,,. ;lb mr:Jttloo ern:unel of 1hc trrth.. Zinc Zinc i. c; an ~vntial rdemf'nr in pm1PIM n11d 1n1ymr'I. Fc. ><xl,oun:1....., q( 7-im· ltrl' animal proteins particularl;,· oy er: and crnhrni:-nl, ~<. 'rm or ~min<. nut,. rnill.. :ind eggs. Zinc:: d. 1:diciency h,J. _~,,ciate J '-Ith J)')Of imrmm11~ ·,ind '"1und lwalin~.,:;m.,,,. 1h retardatio n, hypogonadism and poor ta'-1..-acun-y Th Q'. C wit J1 rhrnmc di:irrlw:1 and chronic pancreatiti. s and others ";th mal. ab--,1r-ption ":71dmm~ are :it lugh n-. k of Tine deficiency. Selenium ln recent ~·ears, increasing interest in selenium i. !. brou~ht :ihout by II$ :intioxl<lan t propertie s. Selenium is found,,,. ;dely in foods lil<c meal nnd :;hcllfi,. h anti in VL~t,;t.,blcs and grains grown in selenium-rich soil. Selenium d<dk1en L·y l1:1, 1>,.,,..n :i~"'1cfa1t'ti ";t. t. 1 card. iomyopathy, a certain heart disca..o;c. This wa.,; first dc,,crihed in China nmon~ people U,ing in a rea. s where the wil is defir:ic. ni of sclenium.. E.-,;cc:..,ivc sclcuium intake due to intake of supplements may cause hair loss. di:irrhea and dcfocts on fmiernoils and toenails. Chromium Chromium is also involved iu enzyme systems and is required in c. 1rbohydr. ite a11d lipid metaboli sm. It has two forms: Chromium 3-'-(non-to:-cic) and Chromium (>+ (toxic). Good food sou. tees of chromium liver. whole grains. meat, cheese t1nd nuts. Chromium works \,itb insulin receptors io tbe control of blood glucose. Lack of chromium may result in diabetes-like high blood glucose (Allderson et al, 1991). Copper Copper is a Jso and essential part of many enzyme system and is involved in the absorption of iron. It is also needed in the maintenance of the l. trcliova. scular ~\-stem. Copper deficiency is associated with prot!!in and iron deficiencies. Primary food s~urces are organ meats like liver, seafoods, nuts and seeds. It is unlikely to get toxicity from foods but it is possible th. rough use of S\lpplements. ASSESSM. ENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS Nutrition is influenced by many factors and therefore different methods may be applied in order to assess the overall nutritional status of an individual. group Or population. There are direct methods which provide direct infom1ation on the actual nutritiona l status. These include aulhropomclric m. :asurcmcnts, biochemical :md biophysical examinations and clinical assessments. lndin.-ct methods pr O\ide information on factors that can affect the nutritional o::on J. ition of a population being Studied. These methods include the dietary assessment and ecological sunrey. \"/hile these methods do not directly assess nutritional status they provide information on the 333 