The effect of zinc saliva on the toddlers' nutritional status

This study aimed to know the correlation between zinc saliva and the toddlers' nutritional status (W/A). The writer utilized observational analytic and utilized 102 toddlers (3-5 years old) in Ambulu subdistrict, Jember, for the sample as the method of this study. The toddlers' nutritional status was measured by W/A index, furthermore, the unstimulated saliva was collected and analyzed by utilizing AAS method in order to estimate the concentration of zinc saliva. The result of this study showed that there was the correlation between zinc saliva and toddlers' weight by utilizing Spearman correlation (P=0.000, α=0.05). In conclusion, zinc saliva related with the toddlers' weight. This correlation is associated with the fact that zinc saliva is not only as the regulator of appetite but also it can stimulate the production of leptin that is considered as the protein of weight regulator. Zinc of saliva influenced the sense of taste on the tongue that could increase more the function of taste. Hence, it could increase the toddlers' appetite and cause the increasing of toddlers' weight.