Abstract

The zinc status of twelve lacto-ovo-vegetariah pregnant women and seventeen non-vegetarian pregnant women was evaluated. Zinc intakes were calculated from three-day dietary records and twenty-four hour dietary histories. Plasma zinc levels were drawn during the last trimester of pregnancy and approximately ten weeks postpartum. Gestational age at birth, birthweight, and APGAR scores of the infants born were obtained from the medical charts. Dietary zinc intakes for the vegetarians (10.5 ± 4.0 mg) did not differ significantly from the intakes of the non-vegetarians (10.9 ± 3.0 mg). The vegetarian last trimester plasma zinc levels (47.9 ± 12.4 mcg/dl) and postpartum plasma zinc levels (59.2 ± 16.6 mcg/dl) did not show any significant difference from the non-vegetarian last-trimester (42.9 ± 9.5 mcg/dl) and postpartum (66.6 ± 18.2 mcg/dl) zinc levels when compared respectively. Dietary, last trimester plasma, and postpartum plasma zinc levels did not differ significantly between the two groups. No correlations were found between plasma zinc levels and the variables compared. The data suggest that obtaining zinc from a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet may not compromise zinc nutriture during pregnancy.

Department

Nutrition

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Winston J. Craig

Second Advisor

Kenneth Burke

Third Advisor

Elmar P. Sakala

Fourth Advisor

Rodney E. Willard

Fifth Advisor

Paul Yahiku

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1983

Date (Title Page)

9-1983

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Zinc; Pregnancy; Vegetarianism

Type

Thesis

Page Count

46

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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