Zinc deficiency and its correlates among infants aged 6-11 months in rural areas of Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam

Introduction: Zinc deficiency remains prevalent among children in developing countries and is associated with stunting, which negatively impacts children’s growth and development. This study describes zinc deficiency status among infants in selected communes in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam, in April 2020. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, with random selection of 360 children aged 6 to 11 months. General information was collected through interviews with mothers/caregivers using pre-designed questionnaire. Zinc and ferritin concentrations were analysed using laboratory quantitative tests. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with zinc deficiency. Results: Mean zinc concentration was 9.0 mmol/L, with proportion of zinc deficiency at 71.7% (95% CI: 66.7%–76.3%), iron deficiency 16.4% (95% CI: 12.5%–20.0%) and stunting 17.8% (95% CI: 14.0%–22.1%). Several factors were found to be significantly associated with zinc deficiency: non-exclusively breastfed children aged under 6 months (OR=1.88; 95% CI: 1.09–3.24); children with diarrhoea (OR=2.33; 95% CI: 1.01–5.35); children with acute respiratory infections (OR=2.35; 95% CI: 1.04– 5.30); and mothers who did not take micronutrient supplements during pregnancy (OR=2.02; 95% CI: 1.19–3.44), (p<0.05). Conclusion: Zinc deficiency was common in infants 6–11 months old in this study. Therefore, early interventions through dietary diversification and supplementation are warranted. Collaboration with public health programmes is vital to educate caregivers on better child nutrition and care practices, and enhance the effectiveness of prevention.