Zinc intake and status in Australian vegetarians

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Dietary Studies
• Human Health

Background:

• Vegetarian diets are associated with reduced chronic disease risk.
• Concerns exist regarding potential lower mineral intake, specifically zinc (Zn), in vegetarian diets.
• Zinc is an essential mineral crucial for numerous physiological functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare dietary zinc intake and serum zinc status between vegetarians and omnivores.
• To investigate the relationship between dietary zinc intake and serum zinc concentrations in different dietary groups.
• To assess the risk of low zinc status in vegetarian populations.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 99 vegetarians (including 10 vegans) and 49 age- and sex-matched omnivores.
• Dietary zinc intake assessed via 12-day weighed food records.
• Serum zinc concentrations measured and compared between groups.

Main Results:

• Women on vegetarian diets had significantly lower mean daily zinc intake compared to omnivorous women.
• Despite lower intake, mean serum zinc concentrations were similar in vegetarian and omnivorous women.
• Omnivorous men exhibited lower mean serum zinc concentrations than ovolactovegetarian men, with more below the reference range.
• A significant correlation between dietary zinc density and serum zinc was observed in vegetarians, particularly females.

Conclusions:

• Vegetarian diets, especially in women, may lead to lower zinc intake but do not necessarily result in lower serum zinc levels.
• Ovolactovegetarians showed no significantly increased risk of low zinc status compared to omnivores.
• Dietary zinc density is a significant predictor of serum zinc status in vegetarian women.