Effect of nutritional status of children on intake and absorption of nutrients

Abstract

Diarrhoeal disease is one of the most important causes for the mortality of children under 5 years in the developing countries [1–3]. Studies from Gambia and Guatemala showed that growth faltering and associated malnutrition are the direct consequence of diarrhoeal diseases [4–6]. Other infectious diseases were also found to cause a reduction in dietary intake due to anorexia and withdrawel of food [6]. Loss of nutrients due to vomiting and malabsorption could occur during enteric infections [7]. A child with fever may go into negative nitrogen balance due to increased rate of catabolism and even mild infections could result in a catabolic state with increased nitrogen loss [8]. Since diarrhoeal diseases adversely affect the child’s growth [4, 6], the mechanism for this health hazard needs to be focused. Several of the following factors were considered to explain the mechanisms through which diarrhoeal diseases can affect children nutritionally:

• 1. reduced intake due to anorexia, withdrawel of food, as practiced by mothers to control diarrhoea, or feeding an altered diet for a prolonged period;

• 2. breakdown of body protein due to increased catabolism;

• 3. malabsorption of carbohydrates due to lactase deficiency [9].