Comparison of two forms of daily preventive zinc supplementation versus therapeutic zinc supplementation for diarrhea on young children's physical growth and risk of infection: study design and rationale for a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Zinc is an essential nutrient that is required for children's normal growth and resistance to infections, including diarrhea and pneumonia, two major causes of child mortality. Daily or weekly preventive zinc supplementation has been shown to improve growth and reduce the risk of infection, while therapeutic zinc supplementation for 10-14 days is recommended for the treatment of diarrhea. The overall objective of the present study is to compare several regimens for delivering zinc to young children, both for the prevention of zinc deficiency and the treatment of diarrhea.

Methods

The present study is a community-based, randomized controlled trial in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). Three thousand, four hundred children 6-23 months of age will be randomi

SUBMITTER: Wessells KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7050875 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature