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No effect of 6‐month zinc supplementation on anthropometric measures in 6‐11 year‐old urban school children in Guatemala
Author(s) -
Bui Vinh Quang,
DiGirolamo Ann M.,
Stein Aryeh D.,
Ramakrishnan Usha,
RamirezZea Manuel,
FloresAyala Rafael C.,
Martorell Reynaldo
Publication year - 2009
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.23.1_supplement.917.14
Subject(s) - medicine , zinc , anthropometry , placebo , underweight , zinc deficiency (plant disorder) , randomized controlled trial , micronutrient , zoology , gastroenterology , obesity , overweight , chemistry , biology , alternative medicine , organic chemistry , pathology
Zinc deficiency is reported to lead to poor growth. We conducted a double‐blind randomized controlled trial of 10 mg chewable zinc oxide vs. placebo 5 days/wk for 6 months among 6‐ 11 year‐old Guatemalan children from 5 urban public schools. Weight; standing and seated height; head, arm, abdominal, and calf circumferences; triceps and subscapular skin folds; and knee‐heel and leg lengths were measured at baseline and at close‐out. Among 750 children randomized, 8% were underweight, 19% were stunted, 7% were obese (BMI‐z score > 2), and 22% had serum zinc <65 mcg/dL. The two groups, 378 receiving zinc and 372 receiving placebo, were balanced at baseline on zinc status and anthropometry. At the 6‐month follow‐up (n=715) mean serum zinc was significantly higher (p=0.04) in the zinc (111.5± 31.0 mcg/dL) compared to placebo group (106.6 ± 32.3 mcg/dL). There were no differences between the groups in changes in weight (1.77±1.19 kg vs. 1.77±1.22 kg, respectively for zinc vs. placebo group; p=0.94); height (2.79±0.79 cm vs. 2.87±0.86 cm; p=0.15); or any other anthropometric measures examined. Zinc supplementation for six‐months did not impact growth among 6‐11 year‐old Guatemalan urban children at moderate risk of zinc deficiency.