Evaluation of zinc and copper nutritional status and effects upon growth of southern adolescent females.

A biracial sample of twenty-nine 14-yr old and thirty 16-yr old females was evaluated for zinc and copper nutritional status. Socioeconomic, demographic, anthropometric and 24-h dietary recall data were collected and plasma zinc and copper and erythrocyte zinc levels determined. Mean plasma zinc was 83 +/- 15 micrograms/dl; racial differences were significant (p less than 0.05) with plasma zinc levels at 87 +/- 3 micrograms/dl for whites and 79 +/- 3 micrograms/dl for blacks. Mean plasma copper was 119 +/- 24 micrograms/dl and was slightly higher for blacks than for whites. Mean erythrocyte zinc was 8.3 +/- 2.7 micrograms/g and represented 10 times the level of zinc in plasma. Plasma copper levels were positively (p less than 0.05) related to body size. Plasma copper was negatively (p less than 0.05) related to dietary fiber. Other dietary and economic factors did not affect mineral status.