Assessment of minerals in obesity-related diseases in the Chandigarh (India) population.

Excessive Zn but normal Cu and Mg in the staple food consumed by the people of Chandigarh (Union territory and capital of Punjab and Haryana States of India) has been considered to be the major risk factor for the prevalence of obesity (33.15%) and obesity-related diseases in this region. Therefore, in the present investigations, in obesity-related diseases, the status of these minerals was estimated in their tissues, including hair, nails, and blood serum and urine, and compared with those of normal subjects. They were grouped as: normal subjects in control Group A, middle-aged diabetics in Group D(M), older diabetics in Group D(O), and diabetics with osteoarthritis in Group D+ OA, osteoarthritis in Group OA and rheumatoid arthritis in Group RA, respectively. The results evaluated in the order as: hair Zn, group D+OA>D(M)>OA>A (control)>RA>D(O) (p < 0.001); hair Cu, group A (control)>D(M)>OA>D+OA>D(O)>RA (p < 0.001); hair Mg, group A (control)>D(M)>OA>D+OA>RA>D(O) (p < 0.001, 0.01); hair Mn, group A (control)>RA>OA>D-OA>D(M)>D(O) (p < 0.001); nail Zn, group D(M)>D+OA>OA>A (control)>RA>D(O) (p < 0.001, 0.05); nail Cu, group A (control)>OA>D(M)>D+OA>RA>D(O) (p < 0.001); nail Mg, group A (control)>OA>D(M)>D(O)>D+OA >RA (p < 0.001); nail Mn, group A (control) >RA>OA>D+OA>D(M)>D(O) (p < 0.01); urine Zn, group D(O)>D(M)>D+OA>A (control)>RA>OA (p < 0.01); urine Cu, group RA>D+OA>D(O)>OA> D(M)>A (control) (p<0.001); urine Mg, group RA>OA>D+OA>D(O)>D(M)>A (control; p < 0.001); urine Mn, group D(O)>D(M)>OA>D+OA>RA>A (control; p < 0.001), respectively. The analysis of the mineral status in serum of diabetics further showed their highly significant rise from lower mean age subgroup to higher mean age subgroup than their control counter parts (p < 0.001, 0.01, and 0.05) with coincident deficiencies of Cu, Mg, and Mn in their tissues. This study would be helpful considering the status of minerals in these obesity-related diseases depending on the choice of the food consumed to improve the quality of life and prognosis for the diseases.