ZINC NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES OF SOUTHERN GHANA

ABSTRACT

Zinc is a micronutrient indispensable for growth, development,

reproduction, and for the activities of over 2 0 0 enzymes embracing

all physiological activities. Zinc deficiency in the preschool age

group therefore leads to growth faltering, wasting, stunting and

general degeneration in physiological activities.

In rural areas of Egypt and Iran where zinc deficiency was

first identified, dietary factors of plant origin ( especially

phytic acid and fibre), which impair zinc absorption, were the main

etiological factors of zinc deficiency. For the fact that recent

studies have suggested that zinc deficiency might be as alarming as

iron deficiency and the fact that zinc deficiency predominates in

populations which subsist largely on vegetable diet with little

animal protein, it was felt that this study, is both relevant and

necessary in the Ghanaian context.

Studies were carried out in 4 communities on 2 00 preschool

(nursery) children aged 3 to 5 years, to determine if zinc

deficiency occurs within this age group; and if it does, whether it

relates in anyway to any of the anthropometric indices of the

cohorts.

The four communities were Ashalley Botwe, Kwabenya,( typical

rural southern villages), Dome (periurban) and New Achimota

( urban), all located in Greater Accra region, southern Ghana.

In the study, age and the anthropometric indicators of

nutritional status ( weight, height, mid upper arm circumference,

triceps, and subscapular skin-folds), and the biochemical

x

indicators of zinc nutriture [ hair zinc, plasma zinc, red blood

cell (rbc) zinc, and alkaline phosphatase activity], as well as

indicators of protein nutriture (plasma protein, albumin, and A/G

ratio) were determined.

Results of anthropometric measurements indicated that the mean

percentage of pre-schoolers affected by Wasting, Stunting and

Wasting plus stunting in the four communities combined were 3.5%,

16.5%, and 1.5% respectively, with 78.5% of normal status. When the

results were considered for each community, 69.6% (Ashalley Botwe),

81.2% (Kwabenya), 80.9% (Dome), and 84.1% (New Achimota),

respectively, were of normal stature. Percentage wasting was 3.6%,

0%, 4.4% and 4.5% while stunting levels were 25%, 18.8%, 13.2%, and

9.1% respectively. The percentage wasting plus stunting was 1.8%,

0%, 1.5%, and 2.3%, respectively.

Statistical analysis using Duncan's and Least significant

difference (LSD) multiple comparison tests, indicated that there

were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the mean values for the

indicators of zinc nutriture (plasma zinc, rbc zinc, hair zinc, and

plasma alkaline phosphatase activity) in the different nutritional

states (normal, wasted, stunted, wasted plus stunted).

Further comparison with reference values indicated that there

was no zinc deficiency in any of the groups- eg. the mean plasma

zinc values obtained for the normal, wasted, stunted, and wasted

plus stunted groups ( for the 2 0 0 cohorts) were 1.13+0.35, 1.16

+0.37, 1.04+0.23 and 0.95 + 0.29 ppm, respectively, as compared

to a normal range of 0.50-1.50ppm. The corresponding values for the

hair zinc were 247.0 +. 101.6, 200.9 +. 65.2, 220.0 + 83.8 and 157.6

+ 40 ppm, as compared to a normal level of >70 ppm. Also, the mean

plasma, red blood cell, and hair zinc values for all the cohorts

were normal.

Analysis of indicators of protein nutritional status (total

plasma protein, albumin, and A/G ratio) revealed that the Plasma

Protein values for the various anthropometric states were within

the normal reference ranges - eg. the mean Albumin/Globulin ratio

for the normal, wasted, stunted and wasted plus stunted groups

( for the 200 cohorts) were 1.6 +.0.5, 1.2 + 0.3, 1.6 +0.5, and

1.5 + 0.5, respectively, as compared to a normal range of 1-2.5.

This indicates that the protein nutritional status was adequate.

It was concluded that there was no zinc deficiency in the

cohorts, and that zinc nutritional status did not differ in the

various nutritional states of the cohorts.