Zinc supplementation and stunted infants in Ethiopia: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Background Stunting is highly prevalent in Ethiopia and many other developing countries but the reason for it is poorly understood. Zinc is essential for growth but diets in such countries often do not contain zinc in sufficient quantity or of sufficient bioavailability. Thus zinc deficiency may play a major role in stunting. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the low rate of linear growth of apparently healthy breastfed infants in a rural village in Ethiopia could be improved by zinc supplementation. Methods A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was done on apparently healthy breastfed infants aged 6–12 months. 100 non-stunted (length-for-age, Z score <_x0001_2) were matched for age and sex with 100 randomly selected stunted (>–2) infants. Infants, both stunted and non stunted, were matched by sex, age (within 2 months) and recumbent length (within 3 cm) for random assignment, to receive a zinc supplement (10 mg zinc per day, as zinc sulphate) or placebo, 6 days a week for 6 months. Anthropometric measurements were taken monthly, data on illness and appetite were collected daily, and samples of serum and hair were taken at the end of the intervention for the analysis of zinc