Nutritional Differences in Nitrogen Content of Fingernails

손톱의 질소함량과 영양상태

  • Chun, Young-Ee (Dept. of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Ehwa Womans University) ;
  • Hong, Young-Sook (Dept. of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Ehwa Womans University) ;
  • Sung, Nak-Eung (Dept. of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Ehwa Womans University)
  • 전영이 (이화여자대학교 의과대학 생화학교실) ;
  • 홍영숙 (이화여자대학교 의과대학 생화학교실) ;
  • 성낙응 (이화여자대학교 의과대학 생화학교실)
  • Published : 1979.12.30

Abstract

The analysis of nail nitrogen content reflected recent nutritional status. Therefore, estimation of nail nitrogen content has been previously reported in a small group of neonates ana school children. Nail samples were obtained from 52 economically middle and 21 low classes. The contents of nitrogen in their fingernails were determinded by micro-Kjeldahl method. Mean nail nitrogen content was $133.1{\pm}8mg/g$ in the middle class which is significantly higher than that of the low class $122.1{\pm}8mg/g$. The nitrogen contents of nails obtained in summer were found by analysis of variance and student's t-test to he lower than those obtained in winter.

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