Plasma zinc and hair zinc levels, anthropometric status and food intake of children in a rural area of Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: BEINNER, Mark Anthony
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: de Barros Correia MENEZES, Maria Ângela, Borba da SILVA, Jose Bento, de AMORIM, Flavia Regina, JANSEN, Ann Kristine, Alves LAMOUNIER, Joel
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista de Nutrição
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/9337
• topic: Anthropometry; Blood; Child; Hair zinc; Nutritional status; Zinc; Antropometria; Sangue; Criança; Zinco capilar; Estado nutricional; Zinco

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the levels of plasma zinc, hair zinc, growth and food consumption in children aged 6 to 24 months in a rural area of Diamantina (MG), Brazil. MethodsPlasma and hair zinc concentrations were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry and neutron activation analysis, respectively. Weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age, expressed as Z-scores, were measured according to the World Health Organization reference curves. Dietary zinc intake was determined by a 3-day dietary recall filled out by the mother or guardian. ResultsZinc deficiency was found in 11.2% and 16.8% of the children according to plasma zinc e hair zinc levels, respectively. Mean plasma zinc and hair zinc for children ≤11 (49) and >11 (127) months of age were 15.4 (SD=4.2) µmol L-1 and 139.5 (SD=72.1) µg g-1 and 16.0 (SD=4.5) µmol L-1 and 134.3 (SD=110.3) µg g-1, respectively. Anthropometric measurements showed that 8.0%, 6.8% and 3.4% of the children were underweight, stunted and wasted, respectively. The mean dietary intake of zinc was 3.2 (SD=2.3) mg/day. One-third of the children did not eat enough foods that contain zinc. There were no correlations among plasma zinc level, hair zinc level, anthropometric parameters and zinc intake. ConclusionThe results demonstrate that zinc deficiency is a problem in the studied population, not just in malnourished children. Nutritional care should be provided for this population in order to improve their consumption of high-zinc foods and monitor zinc deficiency.