Table 3.

Comparison of trace elements status among children in different dietary literacy groups

Dietary literacy	N (%)	Calcium		Iron		Zinc
		Normal	Deficiency	Normal	Deficiency	Normal	Deficiency
Attitude
Low score	233(22.3)	192	41	189	44	213	20
Moderate score	652(62.5)	494	158	533	119	565	87
High score	158(15.2)	126	32	131	27	141	17
χ2		4.77		0.20		3.94
p		.092		.903		.140
Behaviour
Low score	246(23.6)	191	55	203	43	213	33
Moderate score	610(58.5)	480	130	497	113	537	73
High score	187(17.9)	141	46	153	34	169	18
χ2		0.91		0.13		1.47
p		.636		.938		.481
Skill
Low score	222(21.3)	178	44	177	45	185	37
Moderate score	605(58.0)	469	136	498	107	541	64
High score	216(20.7)	165	51	178	38	193	23
χ2		1.01		0.80		6.15
p		.605		.671		.146
Environment
Low score	251(24.0)	198	53	211	40	224	27
Moderate score	614(58.9)	474	140	500	114	540	74
High score	178(17.1)	140	38	142	36	155	23
χ2		0.37		1.41		0.50
p		.830		.495		.777
Total score
Low score	258(24.7)	206	52	212	46	228	30
Moderate score	550(52.7)	429	121	451	99	479	71
High score	235(22.6)	177	58	190	45	212	23
χ2		1.48		0.18		1.55
p		.478		.914		.460

The cut-offs of dietary literacy are the same as Table 2; Reference ranges of normal values of Ca, Fe, and Zn in children aged 6 to 11 years were 1.51 to 2.01 mmol/L, 7.36 to 9.34 mmol/L, and 67.72 to 103.84 µmol/L, respectively; Reference ranges of normal values of Ca, Fe, and Zn in children aged 12 to 14 years were 1.42 to 1.90 mmol/L, 7.16 to 9.85 mmol/L, and 71.46 to 111.33 µmol/L, respectively