International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-780253201312262806EN20131226<p><strong>Background</strong>:Childhood zinc deficiency is a common problem <br />in many developing countries where people rely mainly on plant based diets with low zinc contents. Zinc supplementation is one of strategies to combat zinc deficiency and its consequences&nbsp;in children. The aim of this community trial was to examine&nbsp;the effect of zinc supplementation on the linear growth of children 6-24 months of age and to examine the feasibility of its implementation in the context of primary health care (PHC).</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>:Rural community health centers providing maternal and child care in two areas with moderate rates of malnutrition were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups, including 393 and 445 children 6-24 months of age, respectively. Children in both groups received routine iron and multivitamin or vitamin A and D supplements through PHC services. Mothers of children in the intervention group were asked to give a single dose of 5 ml/day zinc sulfate syrup (containing 5 mg elemental zinc) to their children for 3 months while children in the control group did not receive the supplement.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>:Anthropometric measurements were performed at <br />baseline and on a monthly basis in both groups. We found a 0.5 cm difference in the height increment in the intervention group as compared with the control (P&lt; 0.001). Zinc supplementation had no effect on weight increment of children.<br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong>:Oral zinc supplementation was found to be both <br />practical and effective in increasing linear growth rate of children less than 2 years of age through PHC.<br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>:Community trial, height, linear growth, zinc <br />supplementation</p>http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/1290http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/1290/1386