The trial was implemented in the urban slum of Dakshinpuri comprising 15,000 dwellings and a population of about 75,000. Recent data from a neighboring community indicated that childhood malnutrition, zinc deficiency, diarrhea and lower respiratory tract infection were common. Children aged 6 to 30 months were identified through a door-to-door survey. Enrollment required that the parents give informed consent and that families did not intend to emigrate. Eligible children were individually randomized by a simple randomization scheme in blocks of 8 generated by a person at Statens Serum Institut, Denmark. The zinc and placebo syrups were prepared and packaged in unbreakable bottles by GK Pharma Aps (Koge, Denmark( and labeled with unique child number according to the randomization scheme. The zinc and placebo syrups were similar in appearance, taste and packaging.