Zinc status and sexual development in adolescent girls

Forty-eight black adolescent girls, aged 8 to 16, from the inner city of Baltimore were divided into five groups according to breast and pubic hair development. Blood and hair zinc concentrations as analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry were within ranges reported by other investigators. Hair zinc levels significantly increased (p less than .05) from the second to the last stage of puberty and were significantly correlated (p less than .05) with erythrocyte zinc levels, height, and weight. Mean dietary intakes of calories and protein, as measured from a 24-hour recall, were adequate and increased with stage of breast and pubic hair development. Mean zinc intakes reported in the 24-hour recall averaged 66% of the RDA in the latter half of puberty. It appeared that zinc nutriture was generally adequate in this population, even though the dietary intake of zinc was below the recommended level.