Biological Trace Element Research

, Volume 183, Issue 2, pp 183–191 | Cite as

Hair Zinc: an Index for Zinc Status in Under-Five Children from Low-Income Communities in Kanam Area of North-Central Nigeria

  • Kiri H. Jaryum
  • Zebulon Sunday C. Okoye
  • Barbara Stoecker
Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Nutritional deficiencies of trace elements are among the top ten causes of death in Sub Saharan Africa. In Kanam Local Government Area of Nigeria, the problem is compounded by high levels of poverty and illiteracy. Abnormally low hair zinc levels are important, sensitive diagnostic biochemical indices of Zinc deficiency. The purpose of this study is to assess the zinc status of children less than 5 years in Kanam local government area, north-central Nigeria, by measuring the zinc level in hair samples collected from 44 under-5 children across the area. A household survey was made to assess the pattern and frequency of consumption of zinc-rich foods which was done by means of questionnaire. Hair samples were analysed for zinc content by the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrophotometry (ICP-MS). The data were analysed statistically using the Student’s t test, z test, and Pearson correlation, while questionnaire-captured data were analysed by simple arithmetic. The results of the analyses showed that the average hair zinc level was 74.35 ± 48.05 μg/g. This was below the normal range of 130–140 μg/g, for children less than 5 years. Based on the results, 86.36% have hair zinc level below the lower limit of the normal range of 130 μg/g. Between the gender, boys have higher hair zinc content than girls. Data from the questionnaire showed that 53.45% of the population studied have poor/inadequate intake of zinc-rich foods of animal origin, a dietary behaviour reported to predispose to micronutrient deficiency, including zinc.

Keywords

Under-five children Hair zinc Poverty Kanam Zinc deficiency 
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Notes

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University of Jos and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study (14 individuals gave partial consent to food consumption study only and not to taking of hair, and are therefore, not included in the hair study).

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Kiri H. Jaryum
    • 1
    • 2
  • Zebulon Sunday C. Okoye
    • 3
  • Barbara Stoecker
    • 2
  1. 1.University of JosJosNigeria
  2. 2.Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human SciencesOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterUSA
  3. 3.Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical SciencesUniversity of JosJosNigeria

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