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High levels (0.2 and 0.4%) of zinc were fed to adult female rats beginning at either 0-day age of the fetus or 21 days before breeding to study the development and iron, copper, and zinc status of the 15-to 20-day-old fetus. Growth reduction in terms of dry matter or variable degrees• of death and resorption occurred in fetuses from mothers fed 0.4% zinc; 100% resorption occurred in the 15-and 16-day-old fetus of mothers fed 0.4% zinc beginning at 21 days before breeding. Fetal development was normal in the fetus of mothers fed 0.2% zinc beginning at 21 days before breeding. No external anatomical malformations were observed in the fetus from zinc-fed mothers. Total zinc and concentration of zinc were significantly higher in the 15• to 20-day-old fetus of mothers fed 0.4% zinc. No significant elevation of zinc occurred in the fetus from mothers fed 0.2% zinc. Reduced total iron and concentration of iron was the trend found in the fetus from mothers fed excess zinc; the reduction was significant only in the 16-and 18-day-old fetus from mothers fed 0.4% zinc beginning at 0-day age of the fetus. Liver iron was not reduced in the 18-day-old fetus; the decrease in the fetus, therefore, was a reflection of the signiftcant reduction of body iron. Copper was significantly reduced in the fetus from zinc-fed mothers except the 15-and 16-day-old fetus from mothers fed 0.4% zinc beginning at 0-day age of the fetus. No significant change was found in maternal liver, but trends showed liver iron to be increased in mothers fed 0.4% zinc for 15 and 16 days and decreased with the other zinc regimens. With the exception of mothers fed 0.4% zinc for 15 days of fetal age, copper content in the liver was significantly reduced by all zinc regimens.

Although the prevalence of overweight and obesity among US children is a concern for many health care professionals, incidence rates over time seem to be variable, depending on the assessment measurements used. It is difficult to determine the associated health implications of pediatric obesity or overweight, especially the type that might result in adult obesity or overweight. This review examines the various factors that contribute to the weight and fitness status of children, including anthropometric factors, nutrient intake, the level of physical activity, and nutrition knowledge. Nutrient intake data of the past decade show that the energy and fat intakes of children in the United States have been fairly constant. However, data also indicate that their physical activity has declined. The data strongly suggest that the apparent prevalence of pediatric overweight may not be so much a function of nutrient intake as of a decrease in physical activity leading to an imbalance of energy input and output.