The Correlation Between Micronutrient Intake and Nutritional Status with the Immune System During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ana Medawati; Nada Zuliah Citra

doi:10.55927/ijis.v4i12.774

Authors

Ana Medawati Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta
Nada Zuliah Citra Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/ijis.v4i12.774

Keywords:

Nutritional Status, Micronutrient Intake, Immune System

Abstract

Micronutrient intake consists of vitamins and minerals, which are nutrients the body requires in adequate amounts. Nutrients are crucial for supporting the optimal functioning of the immune system. The immune system is the human body's natural defense against infection by viruses and bacteria. This study employed an observational analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. This study was conducted among 89 dentistry students from UMY, specifically the 2018 class. Nutritional status was assessed using BMI data, while micronutrient intake was evaluated using the 24-hour food recall form. The immune system was assessed using the Immune System Questionnaire (ISQ). The study's results revealed that the nutritional status of 65.17% of subjects fell within the normal nutritional category, 15.73% within the overnutrition category, and 19.10% within the undernutrition category. The adequacy of vitamins B1, B2, B6, and C indicated that most subjects fell into the low category (below the Nutritional Adequacy Intake). The description of the immune system revealed that 75.28% of subjects did not experience a decrease in their immune system. In comparison, the remaining 24.72% of subjects experienced a decrease in their immune system. In the results of statistical tests using the Spearman rank correlation for nutritional status and the immune system, a sig (2-tailed) value of <0.05 was obtained. Meanwhile, the results of statistical tests on the correlation between micronutrient intake (Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, Calcium, and Zinc) and the immune system yielded a significant (2-tailed) p-value of >0.05. In conclusion, a significant relationship exists between nutritional status and the immune system; however, no significant relationship is found between micronutrient intake and the immune system

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