Nutritional evaluations were undertaken on 102 Mexican-American preschool children who were below the 3rd percentile for height, weight, or head circumference. Serum vitamin A concentrations were low in 36 of 102 children (35%). Hair zinc concentrations were low in 28 of 96 children (29%) and plasma zinc concentrations were low in 35 of 94 children (37%). Children with only low height had a mean hair zinc level of 87.5 μg/g, whereas those with only low weight had a mean level of 108.6 μg/g and those with only low head circumference had a mean level of 100.1 μg/g. There was no correlation of height percentiles with plasma zinc, hair zinc, or serum vitamin A. However, further studies are needed to determine if there is a relationship between growth retardation and zinc and/or vitamin A status in this population.

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Vitamin A metabolism retinol deficiency human growth retardation ethnic group zinc Growth Disorders Hispanic Americans growth disorder Vitamin A Deficiency male retinol preschool child female Child, Preschool hair Article nutritional deficiency Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. blood nutrition Support, Non-U.S. Gov't major clinical study migration Transients and Migrants Child