(Integrative Medicine) - Low birth weight babies are more likely than heavier babies to develop infections, but a new study in the journal Pediatrics suggests that daily zinc supplements may prevent infections and significantly reduce the risk of death in these children. Developing countries account for the majority of low birth weight deliveries worldwide, with roughly 12 million children under the age of 5 in these countries dying of preventable diseases (such as diarrhea and respiratory infections) each year. In the current study, researchers in India randomly assigned 1154 full-term infants who were small for their gestational age to receive one of four treatments: (1) riboflavin; (2) riboflavin and zinc; (3) riboflavin, zinc, calcium, phosphorous, folate, and iron; or (4) riboflavin, calcium, phosphorous, folate, and iron. The infants received the treatments from 30 to 284 days of age. Zinc was the only mineral that significantly lowered the risk of death. The researchers conclude that zinc supplementation may lower the rate of childhood death caused by diarrhea, respiratory infections, and other preventable illnesses in developing nations around the world.

References

Sazawal S, Black BE, Menon V, et al. Zinc supplementation in infants born small for gestational age reduces mortality: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics. 2001;108(6):1280-1286.