Dietary Zinc Intake and Growth During Infancy

Energy, protein, zinc intake, and weight and length were monitored at 3, 6, and 12 months in 50 preterm infants (corrected for gestational age) (mean birthweight, 1,054 +/- 234 g; mean gestation, 29 +/- 2.5 weeks) and 60 full-term infants (mean birthweight, 3,509 +/- 269 g; mean gestation, 40 +/- 1 weeks). Mean energy and protein intake (per kilogram body weight) was higher (p less than 0.05) for the preterm infants at all times and met the …