Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on weight and height growth of non-zinc-deficient healthy children. A parallel single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted on 9-18 year old healthy referred children to Pediatric Clinic of Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran from April to October 2011.Children were randomly assigned into two groups to receive daily supplementation of single dose of 5 mg zinc sulfate supplementation for 4 months or placebo. The primary variables were weight gain velocity, height gain velocity and serum zinc level that were evaluated before and four months after intervention. Secondary variable was clinical side effects. Results revealed that 48 girls and 47 boys with mean age of 12.2 ± 2.39 years were evaluated. Weight gain velocity (0.52 ±0.41 kg/month vs. 0.27 ±0.11 kg/month, p= 0.01) and height gain velocity (0.89±0.23 centimeter/month vs. 0.40 ±0.28 centimeter/month, p= 0.001) were higher in zinc group. Serum zinc level was not significantly different in both groups. Transient mild gastrointestinal side effects were seen in four children (8.3) in zinc group. In conclusions, Zinc supplementation can improve weight and height gain velocity of healthy adolescents. © IDOSI Publications, 2013.