OBJECTIVES: We determined the iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) contents of common Chilean foods and assessed the intakes of these elements in a population living in Santiago, Chile. METHODS: We selected foods most consumed by a Chilean population (n = 108). We performed wet digestion of the sample by using nitric, perchloric, and sulfuric acids. Fe, Zn, and Cu were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Fe, Zn, and Cu intakes were evaluated by a dietary survey (24-h recall questionnaire for 4 non-consecutive days) in a representative sample of the population of Santiago, Chile (n = 252 subjects). RESULTS: Fe intakes (mg/d) were 7.8 +/- 9.6 (in infants), 8.1 +/- 5.3 (in 1- to 10-y-olds), 15.1 +/- 7.3 (11- to 19-y-old males), 9.5 +/- 4.3 (11- to 19-y-old females), 13.5 +/- 6.5 (20- to 64-y-old males), 9.1 +/- 3.9 (20- to 64-y-old females), 11.4 +/- 4.9 (> or =65-y-old males), and 11.3 +/- 5.0 (> or =65-y-old females). Zn intakes (mg/d) were 3.8 +/- 1.8 (infants), 6.2 +/- 3.1 (1- to 10-y-old subjects), 8.9 +/- 4.1 (11- to 19-y-old males), 5.7 +/- 2.0 (11- to 19-y-old females), 7.6 +/- 3.4 (20- to 64-y-old males), 6.4 +/- 3.5 (20- to 64-y-old females), 6.6 +/- 2.9 (> or =65-y-old males), and 6.9 +/- 2.4 (> or =65-y-old females). Cu intakes (mg/d) were 0.5 +/- 0.3 (infants), 0.8 +/- 0.5 (1- to 10-y-old subjects), 1.4 +/- 0.7 (11- to 19-y-old males), 1.2 +/- 0.3 (11- to 19-y-old females), 0.9 +/- 0.4 (20- to 64-y-old males), 1.0 +/- 0.4 (20- to 64-y-old females), 1.1 +/- 0.3 (> or =65-y-old males), and 0.9 +/- 0.4 (> or =65-y-old females). CONCLUSIONS: Fe deficiency was greater in infants and women of fertile age. All age and sex groups had a high risk of Zn deficiency, whereas adults of both sexes had a moderate increased risk of Cu deficiency.