Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37612628›Full record

SynthesisBMC pediatrics2023

The effect of zinc supplementation on anthropometric measurements in healthy children over two years: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vahid Monfared, Adel Salehian, Zeinab Nikniaz, Soraiya Ebrahimpour-Koujan, Zeinab Faghfoori

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC pediatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 22% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Association Between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Dental Caries in Children: A Systematic Umbrella Meta-Analysis.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Vahid MonfaredStudent Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
Adel SalehianStudent Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
Zeinab NikniazLiver and gastrointestinal diseases research center, Tabriz University of medical sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Soraiya Ebrahimpour-KoujanDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Zeinab FaghfooriFood Safety Research Center (salt), Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, ZIP Code: 3581793563, Iran. zfaghfoori@gmail.com.
Semnan University of Medical Sciences · IRTabriz University of Medical Sciences · IRTehran University of Medical Sciences · IR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundZinc deficiency is one of the most important micronutrient deficiencies in children that can affect the children's growth pattern. In this regard, different studies were conducted to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on growth patterns in healthy children. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic review has summarized the results of these studies. So, in the present study, we systematically reviewed the result of the studies that assessed the effect of zinc supplementation on anthropometric parameters in healthy, over 2-year-old children.

methodsA systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to November 2021. Data were pooled using the random-effects method and were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

resultsThe pooled results of eight studies, including 1586 participants, showed that zinc supplementation significantly increases height [(WMD): 0.9, 95% CI: (0.27, 1.52), p < 0.001], weight [(WMD): 0.51, 95% CI: (0.06, 0.97), p < 0.001], height for age (HAZ) [(WMD): 0.07, 95% CI: (0.03, 0.10), p < 0.001]. Also, meta-regression analysis did not reveal any significant association between dose and duration of intervention and anthropometric parameters.

conclusionThe present study demonstrates the beneficial effects of zinc supplementation on weight, height, and HAZ.

Indexed as

MalnutritionZincAnthropometryChild, PreschoolDietary SupplementsHealth StatusHumansZincBody heightBody weightMeta-analysisZinc

Identifiers

PMID37612628
PMCPMC10464267
OpenAlexW4386095304

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.