PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to compare the antioxidant level, serum cholesterol and skin beta-carotene, of female elderly who had been living more then 10 months in institutions which offered either vegetarian or nonvegetarian diet.
METHODS
Total of 110 female elderly, 56 from institution serving vegetarian diet and 54 from nonvegetarian diet, were recruited from institutions located in S and N city in Korea. beta-carotene level was measured on their palm using Pharmanex Biophotonic Scanner and annual health evaluation data was utilized for the analysis of serum cholesterol.
RESULTS
The subjects on a vegetarian diet had a significantly higher level of phosphorus, carotene, and folic acid. The elderly who were living in an institution offering a vegetarian diet had a lower level of serum cholesterol and higher level of skin beta-carotene, compared to those living in an institution offering a non-vegetarian diet.
CONCLUSION
This study reveals that a vegetarian diet is beneficial in increasing skin beta-carotene level, decreasing serum total cholesterol level. The skin beta-carotene measurement appear valuable as a bio-marker of antioxidant intake. Further study on antioxidant food and effective serving strategy for elderly are recommended.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of antioxidant vitamins and magnesium supplementation on fasting blood glucose and lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes.
METHODS
This study is a unequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Seventy-one subjects with type 2 diabetes who were recruited from home visiting clients of a public health center, completed the trial. The experimental group entered a 12-week treatment period with antioxidant vitamins and magnesium and the control group with no antioxidant vitamins and magnesium.
RESULTS
Serum level of fasting blood glucose decreased from 134.7 mg/dl to 125.0 mg/dl and total-cholesterol decreased from 215.5 mg/dl to 198.2 mg/dl in the experimental group. No changes in fasting blood glucose and total-cholesterol were demonstrated in the control group.
CONCLUSIONS
A short-term supplementation with antioxidant vitamins and magnesium can reduce fasting blood glucose and total-cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes. The continuous effect of this supplementation and the beneficial effect on the prevention of diabetes complication still needs to be demonstrated.