Abstract
Serum zinc and hair zinc concentrations of some New Zealand children aged 11 years, were examined in relation to selected anthropometric indices. Serum zinc concentrations (n=453) in boys and girls were similar, and unrelated to anthropometric indices and hair zinc concentrations. Mean hair zinc concentration (n=620) of the girls was higher than that for the boys (2.95 ± 0.49 vs. 2.46 ± 0.47 mmol/g; p<0.001). Correlation analysis demonstrated that, for the boys, all the studied anthropometric indices with the exception of height, were significantly related to hair zinc composition and that the confounding effects of mid-parent height and the timing of the adolescent growth spurt are small. Results for the girls were similar but less significant. Dichotomizing the hair zinc results divided both the boys and girls into two groups: those with hair zinc < 2.44 mmol/g were heavier (girls 39.0 v 35.2 kg, boys 36.6 v 34.7 kg) and fatter (mid-upper-arm fat area: girls 15.2 v 12.0 cm2, boys 11.1 v 9.5 cm2) compared to their counterparts with hair zinc >2.44mmol/g. The results demonstrate that in these healthy New Zealand children, those with lower hair zinc concentrations are fatter and heavier than their high hair zinc counterparts.