Randomized controlled trial of the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental development of Bangladeshi infants

Background Zinc deficiency is thought to be common in young children in developing countries and some data suggest that it may detrimentally affect children's development. Objective Our goal was to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on the developmental levels and behavior of Bangladeshi infants. Design This was a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Three hundred one infants aged 1 mo were randomly assigned to receive either 5 mg elemental Zn or placebo daily for 5 mo, and subsequent growth and morbidity were observed. For the present study, developmental levels were assessed in a subsample of 212 infants at 7 and 13 mo of age with use of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and the infants'…