Nutritional zinc status in weaning infants: association with iron deficiency, age, and growth profile.
In the present study, we evaluated the correlation between iron deficiency (ID) and zinc deficiency (ZD) and explored the demographic, anthropometric, and feeding-related factors associated with hypozincemia and hair zinc content in weaning infants. Infants aged 6-24 months were recruited, their feeding history was recorded, and their heights and weights were measured. Hemoglobin content, serum iron/total iron-binding capacity, and ferritin and zinc concentrations of serum and hair (using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy) were assessed. Among 101 infants, 64 (63.4 %) infants exhibited ID. The median serum zinc concentration in iron-deficient infants was lower than that in non-iron-deficient infants, respectively, 73.5 μg/dL (interquartile range [IQR], 65.0-83.8) vs. 87.0 μg/dL (IQR, 77.5-97.0; p = 0.001). The frequency of hypozincemia was also significantly higher in the iron-deficient group than in the non-iron-deficient group (21 out of 64 [32.8 %] vs. 4 out of 37 [10.8 %], respectively; p = 0.014). In multiple regression analysis, the risk of hypozincemia was significantly increased in infants with ID (p = 0.026), mildly underweight infants (weight-for-age Z score < -1; p = 0.034), and infants with mild wasting (weight-for-height Z score < -1; p = 0.028). Hair zinc concentrations (n = 81) were not significantly associated with ID status (p > 0.1); however, there was an inverse relationship between hair zinc concentrations and age of infants (r = -0.250; p = 0.024). In weaning infants, ID is a risk factor for hypozincemia. Hair zinc concentrations appeared to decrease as the age of infants increased during late infancy. Further large-scale studies are needed to validate the relationship between hypozincemia and mild degrees of weight gain impairment in this age group.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Jeong Su
JS
Park
Ju Young
JY
Chang
Jeana
J
Hong
Jae Sung
JS
Ko
Jeong Kee
JK
Seo
Sue
S
Shin
Eun Hee
EH
Lee
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002657:Child Development; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013851:Thinness / Q000150:complications; D014886:Weaning; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc