TY - JOUR
T1 - Zinc supplementation affects the activity patterns of rural Guatemalan infants
AU - Bentley, Margaret E.
AU - Caulfield, Laura E.
AU - Ram, Malathi
AU - Santizo, Maria Claudia
AU - Hurtado, Elena
AU - Rivera, Juan A.
AU - Ruel, Marie T.
AU - Brown, Kenneth H.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Zinc deficiency has been associated with growth deficits, reduced dietary intake and appetite, and has been hypothesized to result in reduced activity. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined whether 10 mg of oral zinc as zinc sulfate, given daily for up to 7 mo, affected activity patterns of 85 Guatemalan infants recruited at 6-9 mo of age. Infant activity was assessed by time sampling-observation method at 10- min intervals during a 12-h data collection period, at base line, 3 and 7 me follow-up. Motor development and the percentage of time infants were observed in various positions (being carried, lying down, sitting, crawling, standing or walking) and engaged in various activities (eating, sleeping, resting, crying/whining or playing) were compared by treatment group. No differences in motor development were observed by treatment group. However, at follow-up 2 (after 7 me of supplementation), zinc-supplemented infants were significantly more frequently observed sitting up compared with lying down, and were playing during 4.18 ± 1.95% (P < 0.05) more observations than unsupplemented infants. They were also somewhat less likely to be observed crying or whining (P < 0.10) compared with those receiving the placebo. These effects are independent of other factors including infant age, motor development, sex, maternal education, family socioeconomic status and nutritional status at base line. Further research must be conducted to determine the long-term developmental importance of these differences in activity patterns associated with zinc supplementation in this setting.
AB - Zinc deficiency has been associated with growth deficits, reduced dietary intake and appetite, and has been hypothesized to result in reduced activity. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined whether 10 mg of oral zinc as zinc sulfate, given daily for up to 7 mo, affected activity patterns of 85 Guatemalan infants recruited at 6-9 mo of age. Infant activity was assessed by time sampling-observation method at 10- min intervals during a 12-h data collection period, at base line, 3 and 7 me follow-up. Motor development and the percentage of time infants were observed in various positions (being carried, lying down, sitting, crawling, standing or walking) and engaged in various activities (eating, sleeping, resting, crying/whining or playing) were compared by treatment group. No differences in motor development were observed by treatment group. However, at follow-up 2 (after 7 me of supplementation), zinc-supplemented infants were significantly more frequently observed sitting up compared with lying down, and were playing during 4.18 ± 1.95% (P < 0.05) more observations than unsupplemented infants. They were also somewhat less likely to be observed crying or whining (P < 0.10) compared with those receiving the placebo. These effects are independent of other factors including infant age, motor development, sex, maternal education, family socioeconomic status and nutritional status at base line. Further research must be conducted to determine the long-term developmental importance of these differences in activity patterns associated with zinc supplementation in this setting.
KW - Activity
KW - Growth
KW - Humans
KW - Infant development
KW - Motor activity
KW - Zinc
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U2 - 10.1093/jn/127.7.1333
DO - 10.1093/jn/127.7.1333
M3 - Article
C2 - 9202087
AN - SCOPUS:0030747664
SN - 0022-3166
VL - 127
SP - 1333
EP - 1338
JO - Journal of Nutrition
JF - Journal of Nutrition
IS - 7
ER -