María Alejandra Rodríguez Brilla
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Camila María Martínez Marte
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Natasha Carvalho Pandolfi
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Kaliana Nascimento
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Gilberto Perez Rodriguez Garcia
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Belen Rivera
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Anna Carolyna Gianlorenco
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Nicole Nakousi-Capurro
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Ewerton Alves Portela dos Santos
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Kasiemobi Eberechukwu Uchime
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Tatiane Aparecida de Miranda
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Gabriella Moreira Requião
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Luciana Valentina Olivera González
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Eneidy Pina
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Qudus Olajide Lawal
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Tamara Zompa
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Gabriel Sant'Ana Carrijo
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Iyanuoluwa O. Ojo
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Mutwakil Elbidiari
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Bruno Francisco Buzetti Spinelli
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Luiz Fernando Mantovani
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Marília Aparecida Silva Oliveira Machado
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Ana Beatriz Ferreira Rolim
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Danilo Hantschick Fernandes Monteiro
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Arthur Andrade Braga
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Wilson Fandino
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research Program, Executive and Continuing Professional Education (ECPE)
Karla Loureiro Loss
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research Program, Executive and Continuing Professional Education (ECPE)
Abstract
Background: Childhood obesity is an escalating global health concern, with nutrient intake emerging as an important modifiable factor. Zinc plays a key role in the metabolic and inflammatory pathways; however, its relationship with childhood obesity remains underexplored. This study investigated the association between zinc intake and obesity in U.S. children aged 2–18 years.
Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES) 2017–2018. The variables were analyzed using logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between childhood obesity and dietary zinc intake. Children were categorized as “obese” or“ non-obese” based on age- and sex-adjusted BMI percentiles. Zinc intake was categorized as “adequate” or “inadequate” based on the recommended daily intake according to age and sex. Confounding variables, including race/ethnicity, dietary fiber, fat, and protein intake, comorbidities, and the poverty-to-income ratio, were controlled for in the adjusted model.
Results: Among 2,704 children (mean age 9.63±4.84 years), 16.8% were classified as obese. In the unadjusted analyses, adequate zinc intake was not significantly associated with obesity (OR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.41–1.29;p=0.285). However, after adjustment for confounders, adequate zinc intake was significantly associated with reduced odds of obesity (OR = 0.50;95% CI: 0.26–0.97;p=0.042). Higher income and certain racial/ethnic groups were also protective, whereas higher fat and protein intake and comorbidities were associated with increased obesity risk.
Conclusion: Adequate dietary zinc intake is independently associated with lower odds of obesity in U.S. children. Thesefindings support further exploration of zinc’s role in obesity prevention strategies and underscore the importance ofaddressing micronutrient deficiencies in pediatric populations.
