Effect of Micronutrient Supplementation on the Growth of Preschool Children in China

Key words: 
• Zinc /
• Calcium /
• Vitamin A /
• Preschool children /
• Growth

Abstract: Objective To study the relationship between micronutrient supplementation and children growth. Methods A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 156 growth retarded preschool children. They were randomly assigned to five groups: supplemental control (S-control,n=28), zinc supplementation(+Zn, 3.5mg Zn/day, n=34), zinc and calcium supplementation (+ZnCa,3.5mg Zn+250mg Ca/day, n=37), zinc and calcium and vitamin A supplementation (+ZnCaVA,3.5mgZn +250mgCa+200gVA/day, n=28), Calcium and vitamin A supplementation (+CaVA,250mgCa + 200gVA/day, n=29). Another 34 children with normal height were selected as normal control (N-control). Supplementation continued for twelve months. Results The height gain in +Zn group (7.84cm per year) and +ZnCa group (7.70 cm per year) was significantly higher than that in S-control group (6.74 cm per year, P＜0.05); The weight gain in +ZnCaVA group (2.55kg per year)and +CaVA group (2.57 kg per year) was also significantly higher than that in S-control group (2.19kg per year, P＜0.05); The average days of illness in each supplementation group were lower than that in S-control (13 days per year compared with 23 days per year). No significant difference was observed on bone age. Conclusion Zinc and Zinc+Calcium supplementation can improve the height gain,and vitamin A can improve weight gain in growth retarded preschool children, but do not affect the maturity of bone. Micronutrient supplementation can lower the morbidity of these children.