Stunting and zinc deficiency among primary school children in rural areas with low soil zinc concentrations in Jiangsu Province, China

Objective: To assess stunting and zinc deficiency among primary school children in north rural area of Jiangsu Province with low soil zinc concentrations, eastern part of China. Methods: Two data collection rounds were conducted. In the first data collection round, 2268 primary school children aged 6-9 years were included by cluster sampling from three counties with low soil zinc concentrations. Anthropometric measures were assessed and stunting was defined as a z-score of height-for-age (HAZ) below -2 according to the WHO new Growth Standards in 2006. For the second data collection round, the county with the highest prevalence of stunting was selected. From this county, 297 children aged 6-9 years were recruited by cluster sampling. Anthropometric measures, serum and hair zinc, and haemoglobin were measured at this stage. Results: The total prevalence of stunting (HAZ < -2) and mild stunting (-2 <= HAZ< -1) was 4.7% and 22.8% respectively, and Huaian had the highest prevalence of stunting (8.1%) among the three counties. In Huaian County the prevalence of zinc deficiency based on serum zinc concentration, hair zinc concentration, and both was 0.7%, 15.2% and 15.3%, respectively, and 32.3% of subjects were anaemic. Boys had a higher prevalence of zinc deficiency than girls (19.1 vs. 10.5%, p < 0.05), whereas the prevalence of anaemia in boys was lower than that in girls (28.2 vs. 37.3%, p = 0.07). Conclusion: Stunting and zinc deficiency were not highly prevalent among primary school children in rural counties with low soil zinc concentrations of Jiangsu Province.