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Zinc Status among Diet Groups
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MethodMeat-EatersLacto-OvoVeganReferenceNotes
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Germany (Vallboehmer, 2025)
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 Number654518
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 Intake (mg/day)NRNRNR
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 Zinc-deficient based on intake (%)1.5%71.1%94.4%
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 Serum zinc (µg/dl)83.078.264.9≥70
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Germany (Klein, 2023)
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 Number404540
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 Intake (mg/day)Food frequency12.08.67.1
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 Serum zinc (µg/dl)64.964.760.460–120
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 Serum free zinc (nM)0.810.790.68
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Germany (Weikert, 2020)
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 Number3636
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 Intake (mg/day)3-day diary1112
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 Serum zinc (µg/dl)87.080.060–120
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Switzerland (Schüpbach, 2017)
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 Number1005353
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 Intake (mg/day)3-day diary11.210.211.5
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 Plasma zinc (µg/dl)85.078.072.070–130
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EPIC-Oxford (Sobiecki, 2016)
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 Male
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 Number3,7981,516269
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 Intakes (mg)Food frequency10.910.99.4
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 Female
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 Number14,4465,157534
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 Intake (mg/day)Food frequency10.410.08.4
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Adventist Health Study-2 (Rizzo, 2013)
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 Men and Women
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 Number33,63421,7995,694
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 Intake (mg/day)Food frequency11.911.511.3
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VeChi youth study (Simon, Germany, 2025)6–18 years old
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 Number11812086
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 Intake (mg/day)3-day diary9.19.28.1Doesn't include supplements.
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 Serum zinc (µg/dl)87.379.582.264.0–124
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 Pre-pubertal84.977.679.7
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 Pubertal88.581.183.6
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Hovinen (Finland, 2021)4-day diary1–7 years old
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 Number24106
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 Intake (mg/day)7.411.212.2
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 Serum zinc (µmol/l)15.311.714.3
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References
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Hovinen T, Korkalo L, Freese R, Skaffari E, Isohanni P, Niemi M, Nevalainen J, Gylling H, Zamboni N, Erkkola M, Suomalainen A. Vegan diet in young children remodels metabolism and challenges the statuses of essential nutrients. EMBO Mol Med. 2021 Feb 5;13(2):e13492.
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Klein L, Dawczynski C, Schwarz M, Maares M, Kipp K, Haase H, Kipp AP. Selenium, Zinc, and Copper Status of Vegetarians and Vegans in Comparison to Omnivores in the Nutritional Evaluation (NuEva) Study. Nutrients. 2023 Aug 11;15(16):3538.
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Schüpbach R, Wegmüller R, Berguerand C, Bui M, Herter-Aeberli I. Micronutrient status and intake in omnivores, vegetarians and vegans in Switzerland. Eur J Nutr. 2017 Feb;56(1):283-293.
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Simon R, Richter E, Lossow K, Fischer M, Längler A, Michalsen A, Weder S, Keller M, Kipp AP, Alexy U. Selenium, zinc, and copper intake and status of vegetarian, vegan, and omnivore children and adolescents: results of the VeChi youth study. Eur J Nutr. 2025 Jul 22;64(5):247.
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Sobiecki JG, Appleby PN, Bradbury KE, Key TJ. High compliance with dietary recommendations in a cohort of meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians, and vegans: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Oxford study. Nutr Res. 2016 May;36(5):464-77.
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Vallboehmer F, Schoofs H, Rink L, Jakobs J. Zinc supplementation among zinc-deficient vegetarians and vegans restores antiviral interferon-α response by upregulating interferon regulatory factor 3. Clin Nutr. 2025 Jun 21;51:161-173.
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Weikert C, Trefflich I, Menzel J, Obeid R, Longree A, Dierkes J, Meyer K, Herter-Aeberli I, Mai K, Stangl GI, Müller SM, Schwerdtle T, Lampen A, Abraham K. Vitamin and Mineral Status in a Vegan Diet. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2020 Aug 31;117(35-36):575-582.
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