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Impact of vitamin A and zinc supplementation on growth among Mexican children
Author(s) -
Rosado Jorge L.,
Caamano Maria,
Montoya Yura,
Frongillo Edward A.,
Santos Jose I.,
Long Kurt Z.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a615-b
Subject(s) - micronutrient , ascaris lumbricoides , zinc , placebo , medicine , vitamin , ascariasis , zinc deficiency (plant disorder) , trichuriasis , giardia lamblia , gastroenterology , biology , zoology , immunology , helminths , chemistry , organic chemistry , alternative medicine , pathology
The impact of micronutrient supplementation on growth may be modified by specific gastro‐intestinal parasite infections. We carried out a double blind placebo controlled trial of the impact of vitamin A and zinc on gastro‐intestinal pathogen infections and growth among 740 children in Mexico City to look at this interaction. Children 6–15 months of age were assigned to receive either a vitamin A supplement every two months, a daily zinc supplement, a combined vitamin A‐zinc supplement or a placebo and followed for one year. Weight and height measurements were made on each child once a month. Monthly collected stool samples were screened for Giardia lamblia , Ascaris lumbricoides and Entamoeba histolytica . Growth velocity slopes generated from the linear regression of individual child height on time were used in multiple regression analysis to test overall treatment effectiveness and effectiveness stratified by parasite infections. Zinc supplementation increased height velocity among uninfected children (0.19, 95% CI 0.038 – 0.35, P=0.04) and among children infected with E. histolytica (0.127 95% CI 0.13‐0.24, P=0.03). However, Ascaris infected children in the vitamin A‐zinc arm had a significantly reduced growth velocity (−0.07, 95% CI −0.14‐ −0.002, P=0.04). These findings suggest that the effect of zinc and vitamin A supplementation on growth may depend on the effect that each micronutrient has on specific parasite infections.