Marisol Cayazzo

Effect of supplementation with an iron-fortified milk on incidence of diarrhea and respiratory infection in urban-resident infants.

To address the hypothesis that increased infectious morbidity is associated with iron supplementation, 783 randomly selected infants were provided with a powdered full fat cows milk (non-fortified group) and 872 with a powdered acidified full fat cows milk fortified with 15 mg of iron as ferrous sulfate (fortified group). All infants were followed from birth to 15 months of age with a monthly home visit by a nurse who recorded morbidity occurring during the previous 30 days. At 9 months of age, 15% of infants in each cohort were receiving breast milk only; data for these infants were segregated to make the third group. Episodes (mean +/- SD) of diarrhea/infant/year were 1.06 +/- 1.29, 1.14 +/- 1.37, and 0.82 +/- 1.04 for the fortified, non-fortified and breast-fed groups, respectively; the fortified and non-fortified bottle-fed groups had a very similar incidence of respiratory illness; 2.66 +/- 2.07 and 2.74 +/- 2.24 episodes/infant/year, respectively. The incidence of respiratory illness for both bottle-fed groups was significantly higher than that for the breast-fed group (2.22 +/- 1.84 respiratory episodes/infant/year). We conclude that for the infants the tested form of iron fortified milk, which is sufficient to lower iron deficiency anemia, does not result in an increased incidence of diarrhea or respiratory illness.

Effect of an iron fortified milk on morbidity in infancy. A field trial

Abstract The effect of an iron fortified milk on gastrointestinal and respiratory illness was evaluated in a prospective longitudinal field trial in which infants were provided beginning at 3 and continuing through 15 months of age with, either iron fortified 15 mg Fe/l (n=53) or non fortified (n=47) milk. Gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms and signs were recorded daily. The mean incidence of diarrhea was 1.1 and 1.2 episodes per year per child in the fortified and non fortified groups, respectively. The figures per child/year for respiratory infections were 3.9 and 3.9 respectively. The results demonstrate that iron fortification at doses sufficient to significantly eradicate iron deficiency anemia is not associated with an increased incidence of gastrointestinal and respiratory illness.

Nutrición de folato en escolares

RESUMEN En un grupo de escolares de baja conditionsocio—economics, se encontro una prevalencia dedeficiencia de acido folico (folato eritrocitario <140 ng/ml) de un 6.0%. Los niveles de folatoencontrados fueron mas bajos que los obtenidosen un grupo de lactantes.REFERENCIAS 1. Olivares M., Anderson M., Llaguno S. y Stekel A.:Folato serico y eritrocitario en cl lactante. Rev. Chil.Pediatr. 54; 246,1983.2. Waters A.H., Mollin D.L.: Studies on the folic acidactivity of human serum. J. Clin. Path. 14: 355, 1961. 3. Hoffrand A. V., Beverly FA., MolUn D.L.: Methodof assay of red cell folate activity and the value ofthe assay as a test for folate deficiency. J. Clin.Path. 19: 17, 1966.4. Weil A., Mawacher E.: Folic acid and pregnancy: Isthere a real problem? ... Schweiz. Med. Wschr. 107: 1943, 1977. 5. Herbert V.: Aseptic addition methods for lactobaci-llus casei assay for folate activity in human serum.J. Oin. Path. 19: 12, 1966.6. Wagner G.: Folic acid. In: Present knowledge inNutrition. Olson, R.G., Broquist, H.P., Chichester,CO., Darby, W.J., Kolbye Jr., A.C. and Stalvey,R.M. The Nutrition Foundation Inc. Washington,D.C., 1984. p. 322-346.7. Herbert V.: Biochemical and hematological lesionsin folic acid deficiency. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 20: 562,