A young man in a rural Iranian village eats very little meat and dairy products,but his diet contains a lot of unleavened whole-grain flat bread.He is very short for his age;his sexual organs are not fully developed;his intelligence is lower than normal;and he suffers from iron-deficiency anemia.Based on this information,the man probably has a(n)________ deficiency.

Question

A young man in a rural Iranian village eats very little meat and dairy products,but his diet contains a lot of unleavened whole-grain flat bread.He is very short for his age;his sexual organs are not fully developed;his intelligence is lower than normal;and he suffers from iron-deficiency anemia.Based on this information,the man probably has a(n)________ deficiency.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are consistent with a zinc deficiency. Zinc is essential for growth, development, immune function, and proper sexual maturation. A diet lacking in meat and dairy, which are good sources of zinc, combined with a high intake of unleavened whole-grain flat bread, which contains compounds that can inhibit zinc absorption, could lead to a zinc deficiency. iron-deficiency anemia is a common co-occurring condition with zinc deficiency. Folate deficiency can lead to anemia and birth defects, but it is not associated with the symptoms described in the question. Vitamin K deficiency can cause bleeding disorders, but not growth or sexual maturation problems. Acetyl CoA is involved in energy metabolism, but it is not a nutrient deficiency.

A Young Man in a Rural Iranian Village Eats Very Little