Associations among dietary zinc intakes and biomarkers of zinc status before and after a zinc supplementation program in Guatemalan schoolchildren

Food Nutr Bull. 2013 Jun;34(2):143-50. doi: 10.1177/156482651303400203.

Abstract

Background: The associations among dietary zinc intakes and biomarkers of zinc status are unknown in apparently healthy children at high risk for zinc deficiency.

Objective: To assess associations among zinc-related parameters in a sample of Guatemalan school-aged children.

Methods: We assessed total dietary intakes and biomarkers of zinc status before and after receiving 6 months of zinc supplementation or placebo in 691 Guatemalan schoolchildren aged 6 to 11 years. Most of the children also received zinc-fortified milk from a government program that started shortly after the trial began. We assessed associations between zinc intakes and serum zinc, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and albumin.

Results: At baseline, the prevalence of serum zinc < 65 microg/dL and dietary zinc intake below Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) (< 4 and < 7 mg/day for children < 9 and > or = 9 years, respectively) were 21.6% and 39.4%, respectively. Pearson correlations between serum zinc concentration and dietary zinc intake, serum ALP, and serum albumin were r = 0.07, 0.15, and 0.07, respectively. At the 6-month follow-up, low serum zinc and low total (diet plus fortified milk) zinc intakes were observed in 1.2% and 0.0% of children in the zinc-supplemented group and 4.0% and 34.1% in the placebo group, respectively. Pearson correlations between serum zinc concentration and total zinc intake, serum ALP, and serum albumin were 0.10, 0.06, and -0.11 in the zinc-supplemented group and -0.04, 0.05, and 0.01 in the placebo group, respectively.

Conclusions: Zinc intake was inconsistently associated with markers of serum zinc concentration. Zinc fortification or supplementation attenuated the associations.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Alkaline Phosphatase / blood
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • Diet*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Food, Fortified
  • Guatemala
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Milk
  • Nutritional Requirements
  • Placebos
  • Serum Albumin / analysis
  • Zinc / administration & dosage*
  • Zinc / blood
  • Zinc / deficiency

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Placebos
  • Serum Albumin
  • Alkaline Phosphatase
  • Zinc