Which groups of people can be vulnerable to zinc deficiency?

Various groups are vulnerable to zinc deficiency due to dietary habits, physiological needs, or underlying health conditions. Vulnerable populations include:

• Children and Adolescents: Young children and adolescents, particularly those with diets high in fibre and phytic acid—which inhibit absorption—are at risk.1
• Pregnant Women: Increased physiological demands make pregnant women more susceptible to deficiency.1
• The Elderly: Older adults may experience lower zinc status.1
• Strict Vegetarians: Because zinc is most abundant in protein-rich foods like meat and shellfish, those who avoid these sources are at higher risk.1
• Individuals with Health Conditions: People suffering from alcoholism, malabsorption syndromes, or protein-energy malnutrition are vulnerable.1
• Medical Patients: Those receiving intravenous solutions that lack adequate zinc or individuals with the inherited condition acrodermatitis enteropathica are also at risk.1

Additionally, practices such as clay eating can interfere with mineral absorption, further contributing to deficiency.1