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