I Sudanese Journal of PAEDIATRICS Vol. 7 · 2005 THE ROLE OF ZINC IN IMPROVEMENT OF WEIGHT GAIN OF CHILDREN WITH PROTEIN ENERGY MALNUTRITION

In many developing countries micronutrient deficiencies-including zinc- are prevalent in children. To provide stronger bases for addressing the importance of zinc in growth promotion and weight gain, this system-atic literature review was conducted. Data sources: Studies published in English language were retrieved by search-ing MEDLINE (1966-2005) as well as manual searching for journals with relevant articles. Study selection: Only randomized controlled trials with results adjusted for children age, socioeconomic status and nutritional status (according to Z-scores) were included. As well as information on study design, sample size and outcome measures. Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review with regard to the effect of zinc on promotion of weight gain in 4