Chromium is an essential mineral and cofactor for insulin that plays an important role as hormone that helps in the blood sugar regulation. Kelantanese were known as sugar-based food consumer. Farmers have high risk of health problem because of exposure to pesticide and sugar-based food intake can give an effect on the level of chromium. The objective of this research was to study the status of chromium among farmers exposed to pesticides and fertilizer in Kelantan. This was a cross-sectional study that was done at Bachok and Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. Respondent were 113 farmers who had been exposed to pesticides or fertilizer for not less than one year. Subjects were interviewed to obtain information on their demographic data by using validated knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire. Nails and hair chromium levels were analyzed by using acid digestion method and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Results showed that 81.4% were male while 18.6% were female. Farmer’s chromium level in nails (125.82 ± 47.81 μg/L) and hair (39.63 ± 5.70 μg/L) were very much lower when compared with standard value in nails (6200 μg/L) and hair (100-2500 μg/L). No signifi cantly differences (p > 0.05) were found between chromium level according to gender, age, level of pesticide exposure, dietary chromium intake and blood glucose. Chromium levels in nails and hair of farmers who smoke was signifi cantly lower (p < 0.05) than non-smoking farmers. As a conclusion, the level of chromium among farmers in Bachok and Pasir Puteh, Kelantan are lower than normal reference and farmers should stop smoking because smoking can lower the chromium level

Pesticide exposure can lead to low trace elements levels in human body. Trace element plays important role in body metabolism. The aim of this study was to study the levels of selenium, zinc and chromium among paddy farmers who expose to pesticide in Wilayah I, MADA, Perlis. This cross sectional study involved 70 males paddy farmers and 57subjects living in fisherman village as control group who were aged between 21 to 80 years old. Subjects were interviewed to obtain information on their demographic data by using validated questionnaire. Subjects also were examined for their blood pressure and glucose level. Selenium, zinc and chromium levels were analyzed by using acid digestion method and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results showed that selenium levels in hairs (5.11 ± 17.05 μg/L) and nails (4.92 ± 2.17 μg/L) were significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared to selenium levels in hairs (15.67 ± 10.59 μg/L) and nails (6.67 ± 2.81 μg/L) in control group. Chromium levels in hairs (31.83 ± 15.17 μg/L) and nails (87.64 ± 23.30 μg/L) were also significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to chromium levels in hairs (85.19 ± 56.90 μg/L) and nails (99.36 ± 56.89 μg/L) of control group. However there were no significant different (p>0.05) between all trace element levels and duration of pesticide exposures. In conclusion, levels of trace elements were lower in nails and hairs of paddy farmers than fisherman community group