Research Article
Hendrayati
Abstract
One form of nutritional services for individuals is nutritional supplementation. Zinc supplementation is recommended to overcome growth problems in children. Giving of high-doses vitamin A should also be followed by zinc supplementation because both of them have relation in the absorption process. Vitamin A deficiency can decreases zinc-binding proteins and can lead to impaired absorption of zinc. Zinc plays a role in metabolism and transport of vitamin A as well as in the synthesis of protein transport retinol (PTR), such as hepatic cell PTR (cPTR) which is an intracellular protein transport retinol in the liver cells and holo PTR that brings retinol from the liver into the blood stream and other tissues. Purpose of this study was to determine the effect of zinc supplementation in stunting children after giving of high-dosage vitamin A. This study used pre- and post- control study design. The study was conducted for a month, with supplementation 10 mg/day of zinc syrup in stunting children aged 2 to 4 years, after giving of high-dosage vitamin A. Sample size was 45 children that was divided into 3 groups: zinc group, vitamin A group and zinc + vitamin A group. Indicators under measurements were nutritional intake, biochemical status and anthropometric. Zinc supplementation followed by high-dosage vitamin A in stunting children was effective to improve biochemical status while the same treatment was not effective to improve nutritional intake and anthropometry.