***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: This study attempted to define the possible contribution of zinc nutrition to immunocompetence and growth in severely malnourished infants . The effect of zinc supplementation was evaluated in marasmic infants during nutritional rehabilitation by using a controlled double-blind design in which 19 infants fed a zinc-fortified formula were compared with 20 infants fed the same non-supplemented formula .  Evaluation of immunocompetence , growth , and zinc , copper , and iron status was performed on admission and at 30 , 60 , and 105 d of nutritional rehabilitation . Although energy intake was similar in both groups , the zinc-supplemented infants had significantly higher linear growth gain , and their immune function improved as demonstrated by conversion of their delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions , enhanced lymphoproliferative response to PHA , and increased salivary IgA concentrations . Thus , the use of a zinc-fortified formula during nutritional rehabilitation can prevent the development of zinc deficiency and improve growth and immune function Some infant milk formulae have a lower zinc content than the original cow 's milk . Zinc is a nutrient necessary for growth and , in this double-blind controlled study , the effects of supplementing Similac with iron with 4 mg/liter of zinc were determined . By 6 months of age , mean growth increments for the supplemented male infants were 2.1 cm greater in length ( P less than 0.025 ) and 535 g greater in weight ( P less than 0.05 ) than for male controls . Growth increments for female test and control infants did not differ significantly . Plasma zinc levels were , at 3 months of age , significantly higher for both male and female supplemented infants . By 6 months , only the male supplemented infants maintained significantly higherplasma zinc levels ( P less than 0.025 ) . The addition of zinc was associated with a lower incidence of disturbed gastrointestinal function ( P less than 0.005 ) and not accompanied by any signs of toxicity The effects of zinc supplementation on the copper status of healthy adult men , as assessed by the activities of the copper-metalloenzymes , plasma ferroxidase ( ceruloplasmin ) , and erythrocyte Cu , Zn-superoxide dismutase , were determined . The subjects were given either two daily doses of 25 mg zinc or placebo for 6 wk . No significant differences in the plasma copper levels or the ferroxidase activities between the supplemented and control groups could be detected at 2 , 4 , or 6 wk . Plasma zinc increased and erythrocyte Cu , Zn-superoxide dismutase decreased in the supplemented group , the difference between the groups becoming significant at 6 wk ( p less than 0.05 ) . This suggested that the zinc supplements decreased the copper status of the experimental group The effects of consuming zinc-fortified ready-to-eat breakfast cereals were determined in a double-blind controlled study . The 96 healthy young children who participated ( mean age 58 months ) consumed either zinc-fortified cereal , providing 25 % United States Recommended Dietary Allowance per 1 ounce serving ( test children ) or nonzinc-fortified cereals ( controls ) for a 9-month period . The test children were calculated on average to receive an additional 2.57 mg of zinc per day from this fortification program . This increment increased their mean daily zinc intake to a level that approached the Recommended Dietary Allowance ( 10 mg ) of the National Academy of Sciences for children less than 10 years of age . By the end of the period , the test children ( combined sexes ) had a mean increment of plasma zinc that was 6.5 micrograms/dl greater than that of the control children ( P less than 0.02 ) . The test girls had a greater increment ( 28.5 micrograms/g ) in hair zinc content than controls girls ( P less than 0.05 ) . There were no significant differences in other biochemical parameters including plasma copper and serum cholesterol . No significant differences in food intake or growth velocity were associated with the consumption of the zinc-fortified cereal . Multiple sex and time related differences occurred in plasma , hair , urine , and parotid saliva zinc concentrations that were unrelated to the type of cereal consumed After iron deficiency , zinc deficiency is the major micronutrient deficiency in developing countries , and staple food fortification is an effective strategy to prevent and improve it among at-risk- population s. No action has been taken to reduce zinc deficiency via flour fortification so far in Iran , and little is known about the influence of zinc fortification of flour on serum zinc and the iron status , and also about the optimum and effective amount of zinc compound that is used in food fortification . The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of consuming zinc-fortified breads on the zinc and iron status in the blood serum . In this study , three types of bread were prepared from non-fortified and fortified flours , with 50 and 100 ppm elemental zinc in the form of sulfate .  Eighty zinc-deficient women aged 19 to 49 years were r and omly assigned to three groups ; The volunteers received , daily , ( 1 ) a non-fortified bread , ( 2 ) a high-zinc bread , and ( 3 ) a low-zinc bread for one month .  Serum zinc and iron were measured by Atomic Absorption before and after the study . Results showed a significant increase in serum zinc and iron levels in all groups ( p < 0.001 ) except in the control ( p > 0.05 ) . Absorption of zinc and iron in the group that consumed high-zinc bread was significantly greater than that in the group that received low-zinc bread ( p < 0.01 ) . It was concluded that fortification of flour with 50–100 ppm zinc was an effective way to achieve adequate zinc intake and absorption in zinc-deficient people . It also appeared that consuming zinc-fortified bread improved iron absorption BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency has been seen in developing countries in which grain-based vegetable protein is consumed more often than animal protein . This study was done to emphasize the importance of zinc-fortified foods and to investigate bioavailability of zinc in zinc-fortified bread . METHODS Serum zinc concentrations in healthy 7- to 11-year-old school children were determined . In 24 of 101 children serum zinc concentrations were below 65 micrograms/ul . These 24 children with asymptomatic zinc deficiency were divided into two equal groups . The 12 children with low serum zinc concentrations received the zinc-fortified bread providing 2 mg/kg/day elemental zinc acetate for 90 days ( zinc-supplemented group ) , whereas the other 12 children received the same quality bread with no zinc fortification ( control group ) . RESULTS By the end of the period , the zinc-supplemented group had significantly higher serum and leukocyte zinc concentrations ( p < 0.01 ) and the weight , serum albumin levels , and alkaline phosphatase increased ( p < 0.01 ) . Immune functions improved , evidence d by conversion of delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions . Zinc-fortified bread ( 2 mg/kg/day ) caused no side effects or manifestations of zinc toxicity . CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that the bioavailability of zinc in the bread is satisfactory . The use of zinc-fortified bread was found to be an economical and readily accessible method to eliminate zinc deficiency and to prevent further occurrence OBJECTIVE The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on linear growth , body composition , and growth factors in premature infants . DESIGN Thirty-six preterm infants ( gestational age : 32.0 + /- 2.1 weeks , birth weight : 1704 + /- 364 g ) participated in a longitudinal double-blind , r and omized clinical trial . They were r and omly allocated either to the supplemental ( S ) group fed with a st and ard term formula supplemented with zinc ( final content 10 mg/L ) and a small quantity of copper ( final content 0.6 mg/L ) , or to the placebo group fed with the same formula without supplementation ( final content of zinc : 5 mg/L and copper : 0.4 mg/L ) , from 36 weeks postconceptional age until 6 months corrected postnatal age  . At each evaluation , anthropometric variables and bioelectrical impedance were measured , a 3-day dietary record was collected , and a blood sample was taken . We analyzed serum levels of total alkaline phosphatase , skeletal alkaline phosphatase ( sALP ) , insulin growth factor (IGF)-I , IGF binding protein-3 , IGF binding protein-1 , zinc and copper , and the concentrations of zinc in erythrocytes . RESULTS The S group had significantly higher zinc levels in serum and erythrocytes and lower serum copper levels with respect to the placebo group . We found that the S group had a greater linear growth ( from baseline to 3 months corrected age : Delta score deviation st and ard length : 1.32 + /-.8 vs.38 + /-.8 ) . The increase in total body water and in serum levels of sALP was also significantly higher in the S group ( total body water : 3 months ; corrected age : 3.8 + /-.5 vs 3.5 + /-.4 kg , 6 months ; corrected age : 4.5 + /-.5 vs 4.2 + /-.4 kg ; sALP : 3 months ; corrected age : 140.2 + /- 28.7 vs 118.7 + /- 18.8 micro g/L ) . CONCLUSIONS Zinc supplementation has a positive effect on linear growth in premature infants 
    Output:
    
Zinc fortification had insignificant impacts on serum alkaline levels , serum copper levels , hemoglobin and weight gain .
Although the findings highlight that zinc fortification is associated with an increased serum concentration of the micronutrient , overall evidence of the effectiveness of this approach is limited .
Mass fortification of zinc may be a cost-effective strategy to overcome zinc deficiency