锌缺乏症的一级预防数据有限;[51]Das JK, Kumar R, Salam RA, et al. Systematic review of zinc fortification trials. Ann Nutr Metab. 2013;62(suppl 1):44-56.http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/348262http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23689112?tool=bestpractice.com但仍可考虑在体内储存的锌耗尽之前对锌缺乏症高风险人群(老人、慢性疾病患者、素食者)使用口服补充剂。有证据表明产前补充锌有利于儿童成长,特别是在锌缺乏症很普遍的地区。[52]Stewart CP, Christian P, LeClerq SC, et al. Antenatal supplementation with folic acid + iron + zinc improves linear growth and reduces peripheral adiposity in school-age children in rural Nepal. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90:132-140.http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/90/1/132.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19474130?tool=bestpractice.com[53]Mayo-Wilson E, Junior JA, Imdad A, et al. Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years of age. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(5):CD009384.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009384.pub2/fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24826920?tool=bestpractice.com通过基准水平与妊娠 32 周水平的对比,一项研究发现含多种微量元素的产前补充剂对锌水平并无影响。[54]Garcia-Guerra A, Neufeld LM, Hernandez-Cordero S, et al. Prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation impact on biochemical indicators during pregnancy and postpartum. Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51:327-335.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-36342009000400010&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=enhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19668928?tool=bestpractice.com此外,常规补充剂对高危儿童的成长和心情有积极作用。[55]Troesch B, van Stujivenberg ME, Smuts CM, et al. A micronutrient powder with low doses of highly absorbable iron and zinc reduces iron and zinc deficiency and improves weight-for-age Z-scores in South African children. J Nutr. 2011;141:237-242.http://jn.nutrition.org/content/141/2/237.longhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21178093?tool=bestpractice.com[56]DiGirolamo AM, Ramirez-Zea M, Wang M, et al. Randomized trial of the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental health of school-age children in Guatemala. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:1241-1250.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20881069?tool=bestpractice.com