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Dietary zinc intake and growth during infancy
Insights
Preterm infants often have inadequate zinc intake, which is crucial for growth. This study highlights zinc
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Infant Development
Background:
- Preterm infants face unique nutritional challenges compared to full-term infants.
- Growth and nutrient intake are critical parameters for assessing infant health and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare nutrient intake (energy, protein, zinc) and growth between preterm and full-term infants.
- To determine the role of nutrient intake, particularly zinc, in infant growth outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal monitoring of energy, protein, and zinc intake, weight, and length in preterm and full-term infants at 3, 6, and 12 months.
- Statistical analysis, including multiple regression, to identify predictors of infant length and weight.
Main Results:
- Preterm infants had higher energy and protein intake but comparable zinc intake to full-term infants.
- Mean zinc intake in preterm infants was below recommended levels at 3 months.
- Zinc intake was a significant predictor of length at 3 months and weight at 12 months, surpassing other factors like protein, energy, and gestational age.
Conclusions:
- Infants, especially preterm infants, are at risk for insufficient dietary zinc intake.
- Adequate zinc intake is vital for achieving optimal growth trajectories in infants.
- Zinc supplementation or increased dietary zinc may be necessary for preterm infants to support growth.
Abstract:
Energy, protein, zinc intake, and weight and length were monitored at 3, 6, and 12 months in 50 preterm infants (corrected for gestational age) (mean birthweight, 1,054 +/- 234 g; mean gestation, 29 +/- 2.5 weeks) and 60 full-term infants (mean birthweight, 3,509 +/- 269 g; mean gestation, 40 +/- 1 weeks). Mean energy and protein intake (per kilogram body weight) was higher (p less than 0.05) for the preterm infants at all times and met the recommended levels for preterm infants. No significant differences in zinc intake (per kilogram body weight) between the two groups existed, and at 3 months, mean zinc intake in the preterm group (per kilogram body weight) was below the recommended level for full-term infants. At no time were the growth percentiles of the preterm group equal to those of the full-term group. Multiple regression equations predicting length at 3 months and weight at 12 months for all the infants were significant, the significant variables being length at birth and zinc intake (milligrams per day) at 3 months, and weight at birth and dietary zinc intake (milligrams per day) at 12 months, respectively. Results indicate that zinc intake played a more important role in explaining the length at 3 months and weight at 12 months than did any other variables, including intakes of protein and energy, gestational age, socioeconomic index of the father, midparent height, sex, and age of introduction of solid foods. Results thus support the suggestion that infants, especially those born prematurely, are at risk for inadequate intake of dietary zinc.