Determinants of zinc intake in low-income black and white pregnant women.

A prospective study was conducted to evaluate and compare the determinants of dietary zinc intake in black and white low-income pregnant women. The study population consisted of 1298 low-income women (70% Black, 30% White) who received prenatal care at University Hospital at the University of Alabama in Birmingham from 1985 to 1989. Various maternal characteristics were evaluated at the first prenatal visit. Two 24 h recalls were obtained at 18 and 30 wk of gestation to calculate the intakes of dietary zinc and other nutrients. Student's t test, chi2, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analyses were used to compare and evaluate the determinants of zinc and other nutrient intakes in Black and White subjects. The mean prepregnancy body mass index and the mean intake of zinc, energy, and all the other nutrients except calcium were significantly higher in Black than in White subjects. There was a significant correlation between zinc and energy intake (r = 0.69, p = 0.001). Age, marital status, parity, socioeconomic status, smoking, and alcohol intake were not significant predictors of zinc or other nutrient intakes. After adjusting for energy intake, race was the only significant predictor of dietary zinc intake. Race and energy intake explained 24% of the variation in zinc intake. Results of this study indicate that after adjusting for other covariates, race and energy intakes are the only predictors of zinc intake in low-income pregnant women.