Study on serum zinc level and relevant factors among preschool children

  Objective   To investigate serum zinc level and relevant factors among preschool children in Shenzhen city, and to provide scientific basis of making policy for children health protection.

  Methods   300 preschool children from 3 representative infants'schools in Shenzhen city were selected by several stages cluster sampling method. The questionnaire survey was conducted and the nutrilites of serum zinc was also determined in the laboratory. The descriptive analysis and Logistic Regression Analysis were performed by SPSS10.0.

  Results   (1) The serum zinc level of Shenzhen preschool children was as follows: the median was 18.25μmol/L; the minimum was 3.62μmol/L; the maximum was 60.85μmol/L. There was nonsignificant difference between males and females(t=1.721, P=0.086);There was non-significant difference among different ages(F=0.95, P=0.417). (2)There were 5.32% children whose serum zinc was lower than normal level, and there was non-significant difference between males and females(χ²=1.035 3, P=0.309). (3)The three relevant factors on the serum zinc status: children supplementary zinc and mother's education were protective factors; having suffering respiratory diseases in the latest two months was risk factors.

  Conclusion   The serum zinc deficiency existed among preschool children in Shenzhen, which was related to several factors, and lower than other areas in China.