Serum levels of zinc, folate, and vitamin B12 in healthy children aged 3-12 months: Is routine screening necessary?

Objectives: To retrospectively assess the serum levels of zinc, folate, and vitamin B12 in healthy children aged between 3-12 months.

Methods: This study includes healthy children aged between 3-12 months who presented to the pediatric outpatient clinics of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, between January 2020 and July 2022. The levels of serum zinc, folate, and vitamin B12 were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: Of the 495 patients enrolled in our study, 248 (50.1%) were female. The median age of the patients was 10 (range: 7-12) months. Zinc deficiency was detected in 24 (4.8%) patients, and vitamin B12 deficiency was found in 49 (9.8%) patients. No folate deficiency was observed in any patient. There was no significant correlation between the patients' height and weight percentiles and their serum levels of zinc, folate, and vitamin B12 (p>0.05 for each).

Conclusion: In conclusion, we do not recommend routine screening for zinc, folate, and vitamin B12 levels in children under 12 months of age without active issues or chronic diseases due to the associated costs. We propose that evaluating serum levels of zinc, folate, and vitamin B12 is a more appropriate clinical approach in children at risk for micronutrient deficiencies and in selected patient groups.