A growth-limiting, mild zinc-deficiency syndrome in some southern Ontario boys with low height percentiles

Abstract

A double-blind, pair-matched 12-mo study examined the effects of a zinc supplement (10 mg Zn/d as ZnSO4) on linear growth, taste acuity, attention span, biochemical indices, and energy intakes of 60 boys (aged 5-7 y) with height less than or equal to 15th and midparent height greater than 25th percentiles. Boys with initial hair Zn less than 1.68 mumol/g (n = 16) had a lower mean (+/- SD) weight-for-age Z score (-0.44 +/- 0.59 vs -0.08 +/- 0.84), and a higher median recognition threshold for salt (15 vs 7.5 mmol; p = 0.02) than those with hair Zn greater than 1.68 mumol/g. Only boys with hair Zn less than 1.68 mumol/g responded to the Zn supplement with a higher mean change in height-for-age Z score (p less than 0.05); taste acuity, energy intakes, and attention span were unaffected. A growth-limiting Zn deficiency syndrome exists in boys with low height percentiles, hair Zn levels less than 1.68 mumol/g, and impaired taste acuity.

Zinc supplementation: effects on the growth and morbidity of undernourished Jamaican children

“…Several previous studies have detected growth differences between zinc supplemented and control groups with similar or smaller sample sizes (Walravens et al, 1976(Walravens et al, , 1983(Walravens et al, , 1989(Walravens et al, , 1992Gibson et al, 1989;Castillo-Duran et al, 1987Schlesinger et al, 1992;Nakamura et al, 1993;Shrivastava et al, 1993), and this difference was detected within three months in some cases. However, we found no signi®cant effects of zinc supplementation on growth.…”

Copper and zinc intake and serum levels in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

“…Nevertheless, the majority of individuals of the control group and of the JRA patients, with and without disease activity, did not reach the RDA recommendation for both elements. Intakes below the recommendation for healthy children are reported in many regions, such as the USA (Hambidge et al, 1985), UK (World Health Organization, 1996), Canada (Gibson et al, 1989), Papua-New Guinea (Ross et al, 1986) and Brazil (Shrimpton, 1984). The nutrient intake recommendations are intended for healthy people and any type of disease may change the specific nutrient needs.…”

Zinc supplementation, mental development and behaviour in low birth weight term infants in northeast Brazil

“…Three focused on speci®c cognitive functions. The ®rst was in southern Ontario, Canada, among 60 boys aged 5±7 y who were of short stature (Gibson et al, 1989). Supplementation was for 12-months and attention span and working memory were assessed on four subtests of the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude.…”