Document Details
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Document Type |
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Article In Journal |
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Document Title |
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Serum Zinc in Infants and Preschool Children in the Jeddah Area: Effect of Diet and Diarrhea in Relation to Growth Serum Zinc in Infants and Preschool Children in the Jeddah Area: Effect of Diet and Diarrhea in Relation to Growth |
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Document Language |
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English |
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Abstract |
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Zinc is known to influence cell division, growth and
development,1 as well as sexual maturation.2 It is also
needed as a membrane stabilizer,3 and is essential for the
integrity of the immune system.4 In fact, more than 100
enzymes require zinc as a cofactor, and it seems to be
involved in the proper storage and release of insulin,
growth and repair of tissues, wound healing, the ability to
taste food, the production of prostaglandins, mineralization
of bone, blood clotting, the function of vitamin A, and the
functions of the thyroid hormones.5,6
Nutritional zinc deficiency was first documented in the
Middle East in 1963,7 and in the following two decades,
reports from Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Portugal, Morocco,
Yugoslavia and other developing countries, as well as the
United States9 and Canada,10 have shown that nutritional
zinc deficiency is fairly prevalent throughout the world.
These reports do not represent actual incidence of zinc
deficiency worldwide, but reflect awareness in diagnosing
overt cases only. Hence, zinc deficiency could be prevalent
in other countries but remain undiagnosed.
An important predisposing factor for zinc deficiency is
the extensive use of cereal protein which limits the
availability of zinc due to high phosphate and phytate
content.11 The recommended dietary allowance of the Food
and Nutrition Board12 and the National Academy of
Sciences in the United States is 15 mg/day for adult males
and 12 mg/day for adult females, with higher recommended
levels during pregnancy and lactation. Requirements for
infants and children are relatively high in relation to body
size because of increased requirements for physical
growth.13
The best sources for zinc in the diet are meat and fish,14
and the bioavailability of zinc from animal products is
considered to be greater than that from plants. Diarrhea is
associated with zinc deficiency15,16 and low serum zinc
concentration.17 Suggestions have been made that growth
retardation commonly seen in children in developing
countries is related to a nutritional deficiency of zinc.5,18,19
In a recent study conducted in the Western region of Saudi
Arabia,20 the range of serum zinc of all studied ages
including infants and adults was found to be 0.5-13.9
μmol/L, which is lower than the international standard of
7.65-22.95 μmol/L. The study included very few infants
and children, and made no attempt to relate low levels to
growth. However, it draws the attention to the possible
existence of zinc deficiency among infants and children in
this area of the world. We therefore undertook this study to
investigate the prevalence of zinc deficiency (reflected in
low-serum zinc) in our infant and preschool children
population, and to see whether such a deficiency is a cause
of retarded growth in our region. We studied the
relationship between serum zinc and height for age, as well
as the causes of deficiency, i.e., whether it was due to
inadequate intake or to increased loss in diarrhea. This will
help in formulating strategy and making recommendations
to health authorities and pediatricians with respect to the
need for zinc supplementation, and the identification of
groups of infants and children most susceptible to zinc
deficiency and who are likely to benefit from such
supplementation |
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ISSN |
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15064262 |
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Journal Name |
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Annals of Saudi Medicine |
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Volume |
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21 |
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Issue Number |
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5-6 |
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Publishing Year |
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2001 AH
2001 AD |
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Article Type |
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Article |
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Added Date |
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Wednesday, March 24, 2010 |
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Researchers
| سهاد باحجري | BAHIJRI, SUHAD | Researcher | Doctorate | |
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