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Zinc Update Zinc: A primary growth-limiting nutrient for infants

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eMediNexus    09 October 2020

A placebo controlled double-blind trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of a zinc supplement on growth, body composition, appetite, and morbidity in stunted and non-stunted rural Ethiopian infants aged 6-12 months.

The infants were randomly allocated to a placebo or zinc (zinc sulfate) supplement that is administered as a syrup for 6 days a week for almost 6 months. The study demonstrated significant effects of zinc supplement on linear and ponderal growth in stunted as well as non-stunted infants. There were no significant changes observed in mid-arm circumference or triceps skinfolds in the supplemented stunted infants in spite of improvements in the appetite of the infants. The positive growth response was credited to a secondary effect of zinc on growth that resulted from reductions in the occurrence of anorexia, cough, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea in the stunted children. The study has presented that supplementation of zinc is the primary growth-limiting nutrient that is required during infancy. Zinc is the primary growth-limiting nutrient essential during infancy and might depend on the ecological setting. The factors that influence include breast-feeding practices, dietary intake, diarrhoea, infections and prenatal and maternal malnutrition.

Thus, the study concluded that universal zinc supplementation will not improve the growth of stunted children unless and until zinc is the primary growth-limiting nutrient.

Source: Gibson RS. Zinc supplementation for infants. Lancet. 2000 Jun 10;355(9220):2008-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02341-2. PMID: 10885346.

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