Serum zinc levels in New Zealand children.

A report is made of serum zinc levels in 518 children with an age range of nine days to 17 years. There were significant differences in normal levels between fasting and non-fasting children, Europeans and Maoris, Europeans and Polynesians, and Indians and Polynesians. Lower levels were also found in those under the age of 13 but may be due to variation in serum proteins in these children who were all anaesthetised.