Plasma zinc levels and the anthropometry of children on the outskirts of the urban center, Brazil

Abstract

The main objective of the present study was to estímate plasma zinc concentration in children belonging to low-income families residing in three different neighborhoods on the outskirts of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, and to determine a possible correlation of this parameter with several anthropometric measurements. Plasma zinc levels were lower than 70 µg% in 13% of the children studied. Weight for age, height for age and weight/height ratio were below 90% of the 50th percentile of National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) in 42.9%, 6.3% and 9.5% of children, respectively. Tricipital fold, arm circumference and muscle circumference were also below 90% of the 50th percentile in 65.8%, 11.0% and 7.3% of the children, respectively. No correlation was observed between plasma zinc levels and the anthropometric parameters studied.