In Bangladesh, over 40 percent children under five are stunted while an estimated 44 percent children of the same age group are at risk of zinc deficiency.
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Thus zinc deficiency results in disruption of hundreds of metabolic pathways, causing numerous clinical manifestations, including impaired growth and development, and disruption of reproductive and immune function.
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An important protein for T-cell development and specialization, thymulin, is dependent on zinc to be activated, meaning zinc deficiency will lower the quality and quantity of T-cells.
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The mechanisms for the clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency are best appreciated by recognizing that zinc functions in the body in three areas : catalytic, structural, and regulatory.
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Zinc deficiency can be classified as acute, as may occur during prolonged inappropriate zinc-free total parenteral nutrition; or chronic, as may occur in dietary deficiency or inadequate absorption.
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Zinc deficiency, on the other hand, has been found to interrupt normal immune function by providing a reversible atrophy of lymphoid tissues including the thymus, spleen and lymph nodes.
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Such illnesses can be especially serious for infants, and are more common in babies with low birth weights, who also might be more prone to zinc deficiency, the researchers said.
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This process can therefore contribute to iron and zinc deficiencies in people whose diets rely on these foods for their mineral intake, such as those in developing countries and vegetarians.
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It is not just the total amount of calories that matters but specific nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency or zinc deficiency can also increase risk of death.
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While zinc deficiency in the United States is not a big problem, internationally " it's an incredibly important issue, " said Dr . Robert Goldenberg, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
