Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

220 questions · 226 findings · 32 reviews

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No studies found 70 · 31%GRADE not reported 51 · 22.6%Very low 39 · 17.3%Low 30 · 13.3%Moderate 29 · 12.8%High 7 · 3.1%

Foods fortified with zinc plus other micronutrients vs foods fortified with other micronutrients without zinc

Serum or plasma zinc (in µmol/L) · general population of all age groups (including pregnant women) from any country, over two years of age

1 finding from 1 review

Fortification of staple foods with zinc for improving zinc status and other health outcomes in the general population 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
4 studies · 250 participants
Low

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Preterm birth · Pregnant women (healthy and probable zinc deficiency)

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in preterm birth (< 37 weeks) compared with no zinc (with or without placebo) (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.87 [0.74, 1.03]
21 studies · 9851 participants
Low

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Stillbirth · Pregnant women (healthy and probable zinc deficiency)

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in stillbirth compared with no zinc (with or without placebo) (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.22 [0.8, 1.88]
7 studies · 3295 participants
Low

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Neonatal mortality · Pregnant women (healthy and probable zinc deficiency)

It is very uncertain whether zinc supplementation changes neonatal death compared with no zinc (with or without placebo) (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 2.44 [0.4, 14.83]
3 studies · 1965 participants
Very low

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Perinatal mortality · Pregnant women (healthy and probable zinc deficiency)

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in perinatal death compared with no zinc (with or without placebo) (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.1 [0.81, 1.51]
2 studies · 2489 participants
Low

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Birthweight (g) · Pregnant women (healthy and probable zinc deficiency)

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
22 studies · 7977 participants
Low

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Small‐for‐gestational age or IUGR · Pregnant women (healthy and probable zinc deficiency)

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in small‐for‐gestational age or IUGR compared with no zinc (with or without placebo) (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.02 [0.92, 1.12]
9 studies · 5330 participants
Moderate

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Low birthweight · Pregnant women (healthy and probable zinc deficiency)

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in low Birthweight (< 2500 g) compared with no zinc (with or without placebo) (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.94 [0.79, 1.13]
17 studies · 7399 participants
Moderate

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

All‐cause mortality · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality compared with no zinc supplementation (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.93 [0.84, 1.03]
16 studies · 143474 participants
High

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Mortality due to all‐cause diarrhea · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in mortality due to all‐cause diarrhea compared with no zinc supplementation (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.95 [0.69, 1.31]
4 studies · 132321 participants
Moderate

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Mortality due to LRTI · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in mortality due to LRTI compared with no zinc supplementation (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.86 [0.64, 1.15]
3 studies · 132063 participants
Moderate

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Mortality due to malaria · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in mortality due to malaria compared with no zinc supplementation (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.9 [0.77, 1.06]
2 studies · 42818 participants
Moderate

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Diarrhea · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

Zinc supplementation probably leads to lower incidence of all‐cause diarrhea compared with no zinc supplementation (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.91 [0.9, 0.93]
39 studies · 19468 participants
Moderate

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Incidence of LRTI · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

Zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in incidence of LRTI compared with no zinc supplementation (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.01 [0.95, 1.08]
19 studies · 10555 participants
High

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Height (cm) · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
74 studies · 20720 participants
Moderate

Zinc vs no zinc supplementation

Participants with ≥ 1 vomiting episode · otherwise healthy children aged 6 months to 12 years of age

Zinc supplementation leads to higher participants with ≥ 1 vomiting episode compared with no zinc supplementation (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.29 [1.14, 1.46]
5 studies · 35192 participants
High

Enteral zinc supplementation vs no zinc supplementation

All‐cause mortality (between start of intervention and end of · preterm infants

Enteral zinc supplementation may leads to lower all‐cause mortality (between start of intervention and end of compared with no zinc supplementation (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Enteral zinc supplementation for prevention of morbidity and mortality in preterm neonates 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.55 [0.31, 0.97]
3 studies · 345 participants
Low

Enteral zinc supplementation vs no zinc supplementation

Neurodevelopmental disability at 18 to 24 months among survivors · preterm infants

1 finding from 1 review

Enteral zinc supplementation for prevention of morbidity and mortality in preterm neonates 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
0 participants
GRADE not reported

Enteral zinc supplementation vs no zinc supplementation

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia · preterm infants

Enteral zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in bronchopulmonary dysplasia compared with no zinc supplementation (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Enteral zinc supplementation for prevention of morbidity and mortality in preterm neonates 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.66 [0.31, 1.4]
1 study · 193 participants
Low

Enteral zinc supplementation vs no zinc supplementation

Retinopathy of prematurity · preterm infants

Enteral zinc supplementation showed no clear difference in retinopathy of prematurity compared with no zinc supplementation (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Enteral zinc supplementation for prevention of morbidity and mortality in preterm neonates 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.14 [0.01, 2.7]
1 study · 193 participants
Low