Young healthy children will be identified by periodic consensus in the study area. 3200 infants meeting a set of eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned to receive lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) with different amounts of zinc and a placebo or zinc supplement from 9 to 18 months of age. The families will receive the respective supplement at weekly intervals and the participants undergo a morbidity evaluation weekly, anthropometric evaluation at 9, 12, 15 and 18 months and laboratory analyses at enrollment and at 18 months of age. Growth outcomes will be analyzed during the two-year follow up at 24, 30, 36 and 42 months of age.