Dietary zinc intake and new chronic kidney disease
What it found
In 7,735 Korean adults with normal kidney function, those with the lowest zinc intake for their calories were more likely to develop chronic kidney disease over about 11.5 years.
This was an observational study, so it can show a link but not cause and effect.
What they found
Studies in people
Zinc intake and CKD
During a median follow up of 11.5 years, 1,409 of 7,735 participants (18.2%) developed chronic kidney disease. The group with the lowest zinc density (mean 3.6 mg/1000 kcal) had a higher risk of developing CKD than the group with the highest zinc density (mean 5.6 mg/1000 kcal).
Zinc intake levels
The average daily zinc intake was 8.6 mg, and the average zinc density was 4.4 mg per 1000 kcal. Participants were grouped into quartiles based on zinc density.
Adjustments for other factors
The link between low zinc density and higher CKD risk remained significant even after accounting for other factors that could affect kidney health.
What the authors conclude
“Low dietary zinc intake may increase the risk of CKD development in individuals with normal renal function.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that low dietary zinc intake may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease in people with normal kidney function.
How it was done
Earlier studies have linked dietary zinc intake to heart and metabolic problems, but the effect of zinc intake on kidney function was not fully known.
They followed 7,735 participants from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study who had normal kidney function at the start. Zinc intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire, and participants were grouped by zinc density (zinc per calorie). The main outcome was new chronic kidney disease, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate below 60 ml/min/1.73 m2.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was an observational study, so it can show a link between zinc intake and kidney disease but cannot prove that low zinc intake causes kidney disease.
- The study relied on a food frequency questionnaire to estimate zinc intake, which may not perfectly reflect actual intake.
- The findings are from Korean adults and may not apply to other populations.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Conflicts of interest The authors declare that they have no relevant interests.
- Authors work at
- Yonsei University, Republic of Korea; Myongji Hospital, Republic of Korea; Yonsei University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea
The paper
- Title
- Dietary zinc intake and incident chronic kidney disease
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Joo YS, Kim HW, Lee S, et al (2021). Dietary zinc intake and incident chronic kidney disease. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2020.07.005PubMed 32753349DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error