EFFECT OF ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION ON OBSERVED ACTIVITY IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC INDIAN PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN

Objectives. To investigate whether supplementation of zinc in preschoo l children is associated with improvement in observed activity levels. Methods. On 2 consecutive days, we performed 5-hour observations with momentary time sampling (instant activity every 10 minutes) in childr en selected from an ongoing double-blind, randomized trial of zinc sup plementation. The study was conducted in Kalkaji, a low-socioeconomic urban population of New Delhi with high diarrheal incidence and rates of malnutrition. A total of 93 children (48 zinc and 45 control) 12 to 23 months of age from an ongoing community-based, randomized, control led trial received supplements for at least 1 month before study; 71% had received supplementation for more than 120 days. Zinc gluconate (1 0 mg of elemental zinc) was given daily, with both zinc and control gr oups receiving vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, D3, and E and niacinamide in ad dition. Results. Outcomes were percentages of time spent in each of fi ve activity levels and two groups representing high and low movement a nd overall rating by two activity scores. Children in the zinc group s pent 72% more time performing activities in the high-movement group. A mong the zinc-supplemented children, the activity rating by the childr en's activity rating score was 12% higher and by the energy expenditur e score was 8.3% higher than in the control group. Conclusions. In con clusion, zinc supplementation, given along with selected vitamins, was associated with significantly greater activity levels in children. Th e relationship between the activity increase and locomotor development needs to be investigated, as do the long-term implications of zinc su pplementation in terms of developmental status and school performance.