Iron and zinc supplementation promote motor development and exploratory behavior among Bangladeshi infants. Randomized controlled trial of the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental development of Bangladeshi infants. Cognitive and motor development among small-for-gestational-age infants: impact of zinc supplementation, birth weight, and caregiving practices. Effects of repletion with zinc and other micronutrients on neuropsychologic performance and growth of Chinese children. A preliminary report: effects of zinc and micronutrient repletion on growth and neuropsychological function of urban Chinese children. Effect of zinc supplementation of pregnant women on the mental and psychomotor development of their children at 5 y of age. Zinc supplementation and psychosocial stimulation: effects on the development of undernourished Jamaican children. Zinc supplementation, mental development and behaviour in low birth weight term infants in northeast Brazil Inconsistent Effects of Iron-Folic Acid and/or Zinc Supplementation on the Cognitive Development of Infants Zinc supplementation affects the activity patterns of rural Guatemalan infants. Effect of zinc supplementation on observed activity in low socioeconomic Indian preschool children. Zinc supplementation during pregnancy and effects on mental development and behaviour of infants: a follow-up study Iron and zinc supplementation does not improve parent or teacher ratings of behavior in first grade Mexican children exposed to lead. Impact of zinc supplementation on mental and psychomotor scores of children aged 12 to 18 months: a randomized, double-blind trial. A community-based randomized controlled trial of iron and zinc supplementation in Indonesian infants: effects on growth and development. Randomized trial of the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental health of school-age children in Guatemala. Effect of zinc supplementation on growth and body composition in children with sickle cell disease.
BACKGROUND Iron and zinc deficiency are prevalent during infancy in low-income countries . OBJECTIVES The objectives were to examine whether a weekly supplement of iron , zinc , iron+zinc , or a micronutrient mix ( MM ) of 16 vitamins and minerals would alter infant development and behavior . DESIGN The participants were 221 infants from rural Bangladesh at risk of micronutrient deficiencies .  Development and behavior were evaluated at 6 and 12 mo of age by using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II and the Home Observation Measurement of Environment ( HOME ) scale . In this double-blind trial , the infants were r and omly assigned to 1 of 5 treatment conditions : iron ( 20 mg ) , zinc ( 20 mg ) , iron+zinc , MM ( 16 vitamins and minerals , including iron and zinc ) , or riboflavin weekly from 6 to 12 mo . Multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the change in development and behavior for each supplementation group , with control for maternal education , HOME score , months breastfed , anemia , growth at 6 mo , and change in growth from 6 to 12 mo . RESULTS Iron and zinc administered together and with other micronutrients had a beneficial effect on infant motor development .  Iron and zinc administered individually and in combination had a beneficial effect on orientation-engagement . Two-thirds of the infants were mildly anemic , no treatment effects on hemoglobin concentration were observed , and hemoglobin was not associated with measures of development or behavior . CONCLUSION The beneficial effects of weekly iron and zinc supplementation on motor development and orientation-engagement suggest that infants benefit from these minerals when administered together BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is thought to be common in young children in developing countries and some data suggest that it may detrimentally affect children 's development . OBJECTIVE Our goal was to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on the developmental levels and behavior of Bangladeshi infants . DESIGN This was a r and omized , double-blind , controlled trial conducted in Dhaka , Bangladesh . Three hundred one infants aged 1 mo were r and omly assigned to receive either 5 mg elemental Zn or placebo daily for 5 mo , and subsequent growth and morbidity were observed . For the present study , developmental levels were assessed in a sub sample of 212 infants at 7 and 13 mo of age with use of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development , and the infants ' behavior during the tests was observed . The children 's social background s , weights , and lengths were also recorded . RESULTS The children 's nutritional status was generally poor . The  zinc-treated group had slightly lower scores on the mental development index of the Bayley Scales than did the placebo group ( beta = 3.7 , SE = 1.3 , P < 0.005 ) . This effect remained significant when nutritional status and social background were controlled for . No other significant differences between groups were noted . CONCLUSIONS The mental development index scores of the zinc-treated group were slightly but significantly lower than those of the placebo group . This finding may have been due to micronutrient imbalance . Caution should be exercised when supplementing undernourished infants with a single micronutrient OBJECTIVE Infants who are born small for gestational age ( SGA ) are at risk for developmental delays , which may be related to deficiencies in zinc , an essential trace metal , or to deficiencies in their ability to elicit caregiver responsiveness ( functional isolation hypothesis ) . The objective of this study was to evaluate at 6 and 10 months of age the impact of a 9-month supplementation trial of 5 mg of zinc on the development and behavior of infants who were born SGA and to evaluate infants ' ability to elicit responsive caregiver behavior . METHODS A r and omized , controlled trial of zinc supplementation was conducted among 200 infants in a low-income , urban community in Delhi , India . Infants were recruited when they were full term ( > 36 weeks ) and SGA ( birth weight < 10th percentile weight-for-gestational age ) . Infants were r and omized to receive daily supplements of a micronutrient mix ( folate , iron , calcium , phosphorus , and riboflavin ) with or without 5 mg of zinc sulfate . The supplement was administered by field workers daily from 30 days to 9 months of age . At 6 and 10 months , infant development and behavior were measured in a clinical setting using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II . Caregiver responsiveness , observed on an Indian version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment scale , was measured during a home visit at 10 months . During both the clinic and home visits , caregivers reported on their infant 's temperament . RESULTS There were no direct effects of zinc supplementation on the infants ' development or behavior at either 6 or 10 months . In a subgroup analysis among the zinc-supplemented infants , lower birth weight infants were perceived to be more temperamentally difficult than higher weight infants ; in the control group , birth weight was not associated with temperament . Heavier birth weight infants had better scores on all measures of development and behavior at 6 months and on changes in mental and motor development from 6 to 10 months , compared with lighter birth weight infants . Boys had better weight gain and higher scores on mental development and emotional regulation than girls . Infants who were from families of higher socioeconomic status ( indexed by parental education , house size , and home ownership ) had higher scores on mental development and orientation/engagement ( exploratory behavior ) than infants who were from families of lower socioeconomic status . In keeping with the functional isolation hypothesis , caregiver responsiveness was associated with infant irritability , controlling for socioeconomic status , gender , birth weight , and weight gain . Responsive mothers were more likely to perceive their infants to be temperamentally easy than less responsive mothers . CONCLUSION Possible explanations for the lack of effects of zinc supplementation on infant development and behavior include 1 ) subtle effects of zinc supplementation that may not have been detected by the Bayley Scales , 2 ) interference with other nutritional deficiencies , or 3 ) no impact of zinc deficiency on infants ' development and behavior . The link between birth weight and irritability among infants in the zinc supplementation group suggests that the response to zinc supplementation may differ by birth weight , with irritability occurring among the most vulnerable infants . Longer term follow-up studies among zinc-supplemented infants are needed to examine whether early supplementation leads to developmental or behavioral changes that have an impact on school-age performance . The relationship between infant irritability and low maternal responsiveness lends support to the functional isolation hypothesis and the importance of asking caregivers about infant temperament The knowledge that zinc is essential for growth and neuropsychologic performance and a report of zinc-responsive stunting in Chinese children prompted this project . This article summarizes findings from a 10-wk , double-blind , controlled trial of zinc repletion in 740 urban , 6 - 9-y-old first grade rs from low-income families in Chongqing , Qingdao , and Shanghai , People 's Republic of China . Treatments were 20 mg Zn alone ( Z ) , 20 mg Zn with micronutrients ( ZM ) , and micronutrients alone ( M ) . The M mixture was based on National Research Council guidelines . Nutrients that might interfere with zinc retention were excluded or given in lower amounts . Main outcomes were changes in neuropsychologic performance and knee height . Hemoglobin , serum ferritin , plasma and hair zinc , and whole blood and hair lead were also measured . Anemia was not common , and serum ferritin concentrations were usually within the range of normal . Mean baseline plasma zinc concentrations were marginal in children from Chongqing and Qingdao and normal in children from Shanghai . After treatment with ZM or M plasma zinc increased . Hair zinc tended to decrease after all treatments . Mean baseline whole blood lead concentrations were slightly below the limit considered excessive for children by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Neuropsychologic performance and growth were most improved after treatment with ZM . These findings were consistent with the presence of zinc and other micronutrient deficiencies OBJECTIVE Zinc is essential for growth and cognition of experimental animals . Past research found zinc repletion improved growth of stunted Chinese children . Therefore we measured effects of zinc repletion on growth and neuropsychological functions of children . DESIGN Double-blind r and omized controlled treatment trial . SETTING Elementary schools in low income districts of Chongqing , Qingdao and Shanghai . SUBJECTS Three hundred-seventy-two 6 to 9 year old first grade rs . INTERVENTIONS Treatments were 20 mg zinc , 20 mg zinc with micronutrients , or micronutrients alone . The micronutrient mixture was based on guidelines of the US NAS/NRC . Treatments were assigned to classrooms of 40 or more children each , and administered by teachers 6 days per week for 10 weeks . MEASURES OF OUTCOME Changes in knee height and neuropsychological functions . RESULTS Zinc alone had the least effect on growth while zinc with micronutrients had the largest effect ; micronutrients alone had an intermediate effect . Zinc-containing treatments improved neuropsychological functions , but micronutrients alone had little effect . CONCLUSIONS The findings confirm the essentiality of zinc for growth of children , and show , for the first time , the essentiality of zinc for neuropsychological functions of children . In addition , the need for repletion of other potentially limiting nutrients in studies examining the effects of specific nutrients on growth and neuropsychological functions was confirmed BACKGROUND A negative effect of prenatal zinc deficiency on brain function has been well established in experimental animals , but this association in humans is controversial . OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effect of prenatal zinc supplementation on the mental and psychomotor development of 355 children whose mothers participated in a double-blind trial of zinc supplementation that result ed in increased head circumference and birth weight .  DESIGN The children took 6 tests-the Differential Ability Scales , Visual Sequential Memory , Auditory Sequential Memory , Knox Cube , Gross Motor Scale , and Grooved Pegboard tests-at a mean age of 5.3 y. The scores were compared between the children of women who received a daily oral dose of 25 mg Zn during the second half of pregnancy and the children of women who received placebo . RESULTS There were no differences in the test scores of neurologic development between the 2 groups . We analyzed the scores in 4 subgroups on the basis of maternal body mass index , because the increases in birth weight and head circumference due to the supplementation occurred only in the children of women with a body mass index ( in kg/m(2 ) ) < 26.0 in the original trial . No differences in the scores were found between these subgroups . CONCLUSIONS Zinc supplementation of women in the latter half of pregnancy had no effect on the neurologic development of their children at age 5 y. It is not known whether our findings of no positive effect in the population with apparently inadequate zinc nutriture can be readily extrapolated to other population BACKGROUND Undernourished children have poor levels of development that benefit from stimulation . Zinc deficiency is prevalent in undernourished children and may contribute to their poor development . OBJECTIVE We assessed the effects of zinc supplementation and psychosocial stimulation given together or separately on the psychomotor development of undernourished children . DESIGN This was a r and omized controlled trial with 4 groups : stimulation alone , zinc supplementation alone , both interventions , and control ( routine care only ) .  Subjects were 114 children aged 9 - 30 mo and below -1.5 z scores of the National Center for Health Statistics weight-for-age references who were recruited from 18 health clinics . Clinics were r and omly assigned to receive stimulation or not ; individual children were r and omly assigned to receive zinc or placebo . The stimulation program comprised weekly home visits during which play was demonstrated and maternal-child interactions were encouraged . The supplementation was 10 mg Zn as sulfate daily or placebo .  Development ( assessed by use of the Griffiths Mental Development Scales ) , length , and weight were measured at baseline and 6 mo later . Weekly morbidity histories were taken . RESULTS Significant interactions were found between zinc supplementation and stimulation . Zinc benefited the developmental quotient only in children who received stimulation , and benefits from zinc to h and and eye coordination were greater in stimulated children . Zinc supplementation alone improved h and and eye coordination , and stimulation alone benefited the developmental quotient , hearing and speech , and performance . Zinc supplementation also reduced diarrheal morbidity but did not significantly improve growth . CONCLUSION Zinc supplementation benefits development in undernourished children , and the benefits are enhanced if stimulation is also provided Objective : To test whether zinc supplementation reduces the deficits in mental development and behaviour that are found in term infants of low birth weight in the study population . Design : A prospect i ve double-blind , part-r and omised efficacy trial . Setting : A low-income population in Pernambuco , northeast Brazil , where the economy is largely dependent on sugar-cane production , and where over 90 % of deliveries occur in health facilities . Subjects : During a 20-month period , all singleton , term infants weighing 1500–2499 g born to families of low income ( < US $ 280/month ) were enroled at birth ( n=205 ) . At 6 and 12-months , the numbers tested were 163 and 138 respectively . Intervention : Infants born from January 1993–January 1994 were r and omly assigned to receive daily , except Sundays , a placebo ( n=66 ) or 1 mg zinc ( n=68 ) . Those born February – August 1994 were given 5 mg zinc ( n=71 ) . Supplementation was for eight weeks , starting at birth . Field workers visited each infant at home to administer the supplement . Results : At 6 and 12-months , mental and psychomotor development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and no significant differences in the scores of the three groups were found . At 12-months , behaviour was also assessed on 5 ratings . Ratings were highest in infants given 5 mg zinc ( P=0.042 ) . Conclusions : Zinc supplementation ( 5 mg/d ) for eight weeks may reverse some of the poor behaviours , particularly responsiveness , exhibited by low birth weight infants . No amelioration of their mental and psychomotor deficits was found . Sponsorship : The Wellcome Trust , United Kingdom , provided financial support ( Grant no. 036605/Z/92 ) . Dr Lira was supported by CAPES ( Fundação Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior ) , Brazil Despite concerns over the neurocognitive effects of micronutrient deficiencies in infancy , few studies have examined the effects of micronutrient supplementation on specific cognitive indicators . This study investigated , in 2002 , the effects of iron-folic acid and /or zinc supplementation on the results of Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence ( FTII ) and the A-not-B Task of executive functioning among 367 Nepali infants living in Sarlahi district . Infants were enrolled in a cluster-r and omized , placebo-controlled clinical trial of daily supplementation with 5 mg of zinc , 6.25 mg of iron with 25 µg of folic acid , or zinc-iron-folic acid , or placebo . These were tested on both the tasks using five indicators of information processing : preference for novelty ( FTII ) , fixation duration ( FTII ) , accelerated performance ( ≥85 % correct ; A-not-B ) , deteriorated performance ( < 75 % correct and > 1 error on repeat-following-correct trails ; A-not-B ) , and the A-not-B error ( A-not-B ) . At 39 and 52 weeks , 247 and 333 infants respectively attempted the cognitive tests ; 213 made an attempt to solve both the tests . The likelihood of females completing the A-not-B Task was lower compared to males when cluster r and omization was controlled [ odds ratio=0.67 ; 95 % confidence interval 0.46 - 0.97 ; p<0.05 ] . All of the five cognitive outcomes were modelled in linear and logistic regression . The results were not consistent across either the testing sessions or the information-processing indicators . Neither the combined nor the individual micronutrient supplements improved the performance on the FTII or the A-not-B Task ( p>0.05 ) . These findings suggest that broader interventions ( both in terms of scope and duration ) are needed for infants who face many biological and social stressors Zinc deficiency has been associated with growth deficits , reduced dietary intake and appetite , and has been hypothesized to result in reduced activity . This r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled study examined whether 10 mg of oral zinc as zinc sulfate , given daily for up to 7 mo , affected activity patterns of 85 Guatemalan infants recruited at 6 - 9 mo of age . Infant activity was assessed by time sampling-observation method at 10-min intervals during a 12-h data collection period , at base line , 3 and 7 mo follow-up . Motor development and the percentage of time infants were observed in various positions ( being carried , lying down , sitting , crawling , st and ing or walking ) and engaged in various activities ( eating , sleeping , resting , crying/whining or playing ) were compared by treatment group . No differences in motor development were observed by treatment group . However , at follow-up 2 ( after 7 mo of supplementation ) , zinc-supplemented infants were significantly more frequently observed sitting up compared with lying down , and were playing during 4.18 + /- 1.95 % ( P < 0.05 ) more observations than unsupplemented infants . They were also somewhat less likely to be observed crying or whining ( P < 0.10 ) compared with those receiving the placebo . These effects are independent of other factors including infant age , motor development , sex , maternal education , family socioeconomic status and nutritional status at base line . Further research must be conducted to determine the long-term developmental importance of these differences in activity patterns associated with zinc supplementation in this setting OBJECTIVES To investigate whether supplementation of zinc in preschool children is associated with improvement in observed activity levels . METHODS On 2 consecutive days , we performed 5-hour observations with momentary time sampling ( instant activity every 10 minutes ) in children selected from an ongoing double-blind , r and omized trial of zinc supplementation .  The study was conducted in Kalkaji , a low-socioeconomic urban population of New Delhi with high diarrheal incidence and rates of malnutrition . A total of 93 children ( 48 zinc and 45 control ) 12 to 23 months of age from an ongoing community-based , r and omized , controlled trial received supplements for at least 1 month before study ; 71 % had received supplementation for more than 120 days .  Zinc gluconate ( 10 mg of elemental zinc ) was given daily , with both zinc and control groups receiving vitamins A , B1 , B2 , B6 , D3 , and E and niacinamide in addition . RESULTS Outcomes were percentages of time spent in each of five activity levels and two groups representing high and low movement and overall rating by two activity scores . Children in the zinc group spent 72 % more time performing activities in the high-movement group . Among the zinc-supplemented children , the activity rating by the children 's activity rating score was 12 % higher and by the energy expenditure score was 8.3 % higher than in the control group . CONCLUSIONS In conclusion , zinc supplementation , given along with selected vitamins , was associated with significantly greater activity levels in children . The relationship between the activity increase and locomotor development needs to be investigated , as do the long-term implication s of zinc supplementation in terms of developmental status and school performance BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is widely prevalent in developing countries . Zinc supplements given to Bangladeshi pregnant women have been shown to reduce infants ' infectious disease morbidity . We assessed these infants at age 13 months to establish the effect of antenatal zinc supplementation on infant development and behaviour . METHODS The study originally consisted of 559 pregnant women who were r and omly allocated to zinc ( 30 mg daily ) or placebo ( cellulose ) from 4 months ' gestation to delivery . The effect of zinc supplementation on pregnancy outcome and on infant growth and morbidity in the first 6 months was assessed . We then r and omly selected a sub sample of 168 infants from 383 who completed the study at 6 months . When babies in this sub sample reached age 13 months , we assessed mental development with Bayley scales of infant development-II , rated behaviour on a modified version of Wolke 's scales , and measured weight and height . FINDINGS When we controlled for differences between tested and non-tested participants , infants in the placebo group had higher scores on mental development index ( regression coefficient=3.3 , SE 1.6 , 95 % CI 0.2 - 6.5 , p=0.04 ) and psychomotor development index ( 5.1 , 2.4 , 0.2 - 9.9 , p=0.04 ) than those in the zinc-supplemented group . Zinc supplementation had no significant effect on behaviour or growth . The children 's nutritional status was poor , and weight-for-age at testing was strongly related to developmental levels , which accounted for some of the treatment effect . INTERPRETATION Prenatal supplementation with zinc alone in poor women from Bangladesh does not seem to confer benefit on infants ' mental development . Such treatment should be considered with caution OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of iron and zinc supplementation on behavior ratings of lead-exposed children . STUDY DESIGN In this double-blind , r and omized trial , 602 first- grade children received 30 mg ferrous fumarate , 30 mg zinc oxide , both , or placebo daily for 6 months . Lead , iron , and zinc status were determined at baseline and follow-up . Parents and teachers provided ratings of child behavior using the Conners Rating Scales . RESULTS The baseline mean ( SD ) blood lead concentration was 11.5 ( 6.1 ) mug/dL , with 51 % of children > or = 10 microg/dL. The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , estimated by combined parent and teacher ratings , was 6 % . At follow-up , parent ratings of oppositional , hyperactive , cognitive problems , and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder decreased by 1.5 , 1.2 , 2.5 , and 3.4 points , respectively ( P < .05 ) . Teacher ratings of hyperactivity increased by 1.1 points ( P = .008 ) , and the mean cognitive problem score declined by 0.7 points ( P = .038 ) . There were no treatment effects on mean change in scores , but children receiving any zinc had a higher likelihood of no longer receiving clinical ly-significant teacher ratings of oppositional behaviors . CONCLUSIONS This regimen of supplementation did not result in consistent improvements in ratings of behavior in lead-exposed children over 6 months OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on mental and psychomotor scores in children aged 12 to 18 months . STUDY DESIGN In this double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled trial , children aged 6 to 30 months received daily elemental zinc ( 10 mg for infants and 20 mg for others ) or placebo for 4 months . Bayley Scales of Infant Development II were used for development assessment in the 12- to 18-month subgroup at enrollment and the end of the study . RESULTS At the end of the study , the adjusted mean mental ( P = .36 ) and psychomotor ( P = .28 ) index scores were similar in the intervention and control groups . In a multivariate model , the baseline mental development index score was positively associated with the mother 's schooling , the child 's height for age , packed cell volumes , hospital birth , and attendance at a day care center , and was negatively associated with the child 's age . Breastfeeding , the child 's weight for height , and packed cell volumes were positively associated with the baseline psychomotor index score . CONCLUSION Zinc supplementation did not affect the mental or psychomotor development index scores in a setting in which zinc deficiency is common BACKGROUND Deficiencies of iron and zinc are associated with delayed development , growth faltering , and increased infectious-disease morbidity during infancy and childhood . Combined iron and zinc supplementation may therefore be a logical preventive strategy . OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to compare the effects of combined iron and zinc supplementation in infancy with the effects of iron and zinc as single micronutrients on growth , psychomotor development , and incidence of infectious disease . DESIGN Indonesian infants ( n = 680 ) were r and omly assigned to daily supplementation with 10 mg Fe ( Fe group ) , 10 mg Zn ( Zn group ) , 10 mg Fe and 10 mg Zn ( Fe+Zn group ) , or placebo from 6 to 12 mo of age . Anthropometric indexes , developmental indexes ( Bayley Scales of Infant Development ; BSID ) , and morbidity were recorded . RESULTS At 12 mo , two-factor analysis of variance showed a significant interaction between iron and zinc for weight-for-age z score , knee-heel length , and BSID psychomotor development . Weight-for-age z score was higher in the Zn group than in the placebo and Fe+Zn groups , knee-heel length was higher in the Zn and Fe groups than in the placebo group , and the BSID psychomotor development index was higher in the Fe group than in the placebo group . No significant effect on morbidity was found . CONCLUSIONS Single supplementation with zinc significantly improved growth , and single supplementation with iron significantly improved growth and psychomotor development , but combined supplementation with iron and zinc had no significant effect on growth or development . Combined , simultaneous supplementation with iron and zinc to infants can not be routinely recommended at the iron-to-zinc ratio used in this study BACKGROUND Rates of mental illness in children are increasing throughout the world . Observational studies of depression , anxiety , and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder suggest that zinc is an alternative treatment . OBJECTIVE We examined the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental health of school-age children in Guatemala . DESIGN From January to October 2006 , we conducted a 6-mo r and omized , double-blind , controlled trial comparing zinc supplementation ( 10 mg ZnO/d for 5 d/wk ) with a placebo ( 10 mg glucose ) in 674 Guatemalan children in grade s 1 - 4 . Outcome measures included internalizing ( ie , depression and anxiety ) and externalizing ( ie , hyperactivity and conduct disorder ) problem behaviors , positive behaviors ( ie , socialization and leadership ) , and serum zinc concentrations . RESULTS Zinc and placebo groups did not differ significantly in any behavioral measures at baseline or at follow-up . At baseline , 21.4 % of children had serum zinc concentrations < 65 μg/dL. At follow-up , both groups improved significantly , and zinc concentrations were higher in the zinc group . Increases in serum zinc concentrations were inversely associated with decreases in depressive symptoms ( estimate : -0.01 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.01 ) , anxiety ( estimate : -0.012 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.02 ) , internalizing symptoms ( estimate : -0.021 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.02 ) , and social skills ( estimate : -0.019 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.01 ) in adjusted models that were controlled for child age , sex , socioeconomic status , household , and treatment group . CONCLUSIONS Six months of zinc supplementation did not induce differences in mental health outcomes between zinc and placebo groups . However , increases in serum zinc concentrations were associated with decreases in internalizing symptoms ( ie , depression and anxiety ) in a community-based sample of children at risk of zinc deficiency . This trial was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT00283660 BACKGROUND Poor growth and delayed maturation in children with sickle cell disease ( SCD ) may be due , in part , to mild zinc deficiency . OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine the effects of zinc supplementation on growth and body composition in children with SCD . DESIGN Forty-two prepubertal children ( 20 girls and 22 boys ) aged 4 - 10 y with SCD-SS were r and omly assigned to receive 10 mg elemental Zn/d in cherry syrup ( zinc group ) or cherry syrup alone ( control group ) . The 2 groups were stratified by sex and initial height status . Dietary intakes were evaluated and anthropometric , high-precision knee-height , and plasma zinc measurements were made at baseline and at 3 , 6 , and 12 mo . Body composition was determined every 6 mo with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry , and z scores for anthropometric variables were computed from national reference data . Longitudinal-mixed-effects analysis was used to test for differences between the groups over the 12-mo observation period . RESULTS Thirty-eight children completed the study . No significant differences were observed at baseline . After 12 mo , the zinc group had significantly greater mean ( + /- SE ) increases in height ( 0.66 + /- 0.29 cm/y ) , sitting height ( 0.97 + /- 0.40 cm/y ) , knee height ( 3.8 + /- 1.2 mm/y ) , and arm circumference z scores ( 0.27 + /- 0.12 cm/y ) . Height-for-age and weight-for-age z scores decreased significantly by 0.11 + /- 0.04 and 0.13 + /- 0.05 , respectively , in the control group but did not change significantly in the zinc group . CONCLUSIONS Prepubertal children with SCD-SS may have zinc deficiency and may benefit from zinc supplementation to improve linear growth and weight gain
There is no convincing evidence that zinc supplementation to infants or children results in improved motor or mental development
BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries .
Zinc is essential for the formation and migration of neurons along with the formation of neuronal synapses .
Its deficiency could interfere with the formation of neural pathways and with neurotransmission , thus affecting behavior ( for example , attention , activity , engagement , temperament ) and development ( for example , gross and fine motor skills , social skills ) .
Zinc supplementation provided to infants and children is a possible strategy to improve the mental and motor development of infants and children at high risk of zinc deficiency .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of zinc supplementation compared to placebo on measures of psychomotor development or cognitive function in children .