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Dietary supplementation and rapid catch-up growth after acute diarrhoea in childhood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Simon Hoare
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Group, Keneba, The Gambia and Cambridge, CB4 1XJ
Sally D. Poppitt
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Group, Keneba, The Gambia and Cambridge, CB4 1XJ
Andrew M. Prentice
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Group, Keneba, The Gambia and Cambridge, CB4 1XJ
Lawrence T. Weaver
Affiliation:
MRC Dunn Nutrition Group, Keneba, The Gambia and Cambridge, CB4 1XJ
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Abstract

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Diarrhoea is a major cause of short-term growth faltering in children of the developing world. If catch-up weight gain is delayed by inadequate dietary intake, or by further bouts of diarrhoea, progressive growth failure occurs. To test the hypothesis that early refeeding is as effective as later feeding after acute diarrhoea with weight loss, we measured the effects of a timed dietary intervention on weight gain after acute diarrhoea in underweight Gambian children. Thirty-four children aged 4–22 months with weight loss following acute diarrhoea were given a high-energy-protein supplement for 14 d beginning either immediately after rehydration or a fortnight later. With a 50% increase in energy intake and a 100% increase in protein intake there was a rapid and highly significant (P < 0.001) gain in weight within a fortnight whether the supplement was given immediately or 2 weeks after presentation. Rates of weight increase were similar whether supplementation was provided early or late, but over the full 28 d (of intervention and non-intervention) children who received late supplementation had greater overall weight gain (P < 0.02) than those supplemented early. Vigorous and early feeding with a high-energy-protein supplement should be central to the management of malnourished children with acute diarrhoea in developing countries, and may be as important as control of diarrhoea in preventing malnutrition and growth failure. This may be achieved in the community using IocaUy available foods, in the face of continuing diarrhoea

Type
Human and Clinical Nutrition
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1996

References

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