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Zinc status of Libyan children — a pilot study

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Summary

Hair zinc has been investigated in children of North and South Libya. The hair zinc content amounts to 213±36 μg/g in newborns. There is no difference between the values of newborns from North Libya and newborns from South Libya. The hair zinc values decrease during infancy. In toddlers and school-children the hair zinc content is 88±35 μg/g, 89±25 μg/g resp. These values are as low as those reported in American children with low height percentiles or nearly as low as those found in dwarfs with poor zinc status from Egypt and Iran.

Zusammenfassung

Der Haarzinkgehalt wurde in Haaren von Kindern aus Nord- und Südlibyen bestimmt. Der Zinkgehalt betrug 213±36 μg/g bei libyschen Neugeborenen. Es bestand kein Unterschied zwischen den Werten von Neugeborenen aus Nord- und Südlibyen. Der Zinkgehalt fällt während der Säuglingszeit ab. Bei Klein- und Schulkindern lag der Zinkgehalt bei 88±35 μg/g bzw. 89±25 μg/g. Diese Werte sind so niedrig wie die bei amerikanischen kleinwüchsigen Kindern oder fast so niedrig wie bei den ägyptischen und persischen Zwergen mit vermindertem Zincstatus.

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Author notes

  1. Ingrid Lombeck

    Present address: University Children's Hospital C, Düsseldorf, Federal Republic of Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Children's Hospital C, Düsseldorf, Federal Republic of Germany

    I. M. Al-Zubaidy & H. J. Bremer

  2. Medical Institute, The Nuclear Research Centre, Jülich, Federal Republic of Germany

    K. Kasperek & L. E. Feinendegen

Authors
  1. Ingrid Lombeck
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  2. I. M. Al-Zubaidy
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  3. K. Kasperek
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  4. L. E. Feinendegen
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  5. H. J. Bremer
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Lombeck, I., Al-Zubaidy, I.M., Kasperek, K. et al. Zinc status of Libyan children — a pilot study. Z Ernährungswiss 22, 1–5 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02020779

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