Zinc defciency status and related factors among children 7 - 9 years old with stunting and risk of stunting in 5 communes of Phu Binh district, Thai Nguyen province, 2017

Abstract

Malnutrition and zinc defciency has gained much attention in recent years. To explore the zinc defciency’s status and to identify related factors among 714 children 7 - 9 years old with stunting and risk of stunting, a study was conducted in fve different schools in Thai Nguyen province. Data were coded and analyzed by using Epi Data and SPSS 18.0. The anthropometric data were processed by the WHO Anthro plus 2006. The results showed that the prevalence of zinc defciency among children aged 7 - 9 years was very high (59.4%). However, there was no statistical difference in the prevalence of zinc defciency between age groups. Nonetheless, there was a statistical difference in the prevalence of zinc defciency between schools. There was no statistical difference in the prevalence zinc defciency between the underweight, stunted, and wasted group compared to the normal group. Nevertheless, the prevalence of zinc defciency in the anaemic group, sub-clinical vitamin A defcient and marginal vitamin A defciency group, and low iron stores group was signifcantly higher than in the normal group. Multivariate regression analysis showed a signifcant relationship between micronutrient defciency and serum zinc concentration among children after control-related maternal factors. Zinc defciency was a severe public health concern among children aged 7-9 years in the rural area, especially in the Northern Mountainous area. An nutrition intervention should be conducted together with the other nutrient supplement to improve the zinc status among rural children aged 7 - 9 years.