Zinc deficiency remains a serious health problem worldwide affecting developed as well as developing countries. Despite the
evidence proving that zinc deprivation during the periods of rapid growth negatively affects the cognitive brain as well as
sexual development, there are few complete studies carried out in children. The present article proposes a revision of the
evidence gathered until now on the relationship existing between zinc deficiency and intellectual and sexual development during
the stages of childhood, preadolescence, and adolescence.
Index Entries Zinc - growth - intellectual development - sexual development
An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12011-004-0001-6.