Dietary treatment of malnutrition. Balance-sheets of the main nutrients. Part II.

Results of a balance study of nitrogen, fat, electrolytes and trace-elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn) with 3 1/i to 9 years old malnourished children in the Kwilu region (Zaïre) are given. The main components of the diets were fish, lactose free milk, caseinate, partial hydrolasate of albumin, fermented corn and soya (Soy-Ogi), medium-chain triglycerides, rice and the local foods manioc, peanuts and caterpillars. The lactose free milk and the Soy-Ogi were well tolerated since we found only a small quantity of non absorbed sugar in the faeces. Our results show that in children who have secondary intestinal malabsorption the use of a partial hydrolysate of lactalbumin and the medium-chain triglycerides is recommended and the substitution of the manioc by rice also. Caseinate gave satisfactory results in adult-malnutrition. We found a good retention of nitrogen, fat and phosphorus. For the latter an addition was necessary. The potassium balance was also positive, a content of 5 meq/kg body weight in the food gave a sufficient retention time. The sodium chloride content of the diet must be moderate because of the oedemas (2 meq/kg body weight). The determination of the vitamin content in the diet and their urinary excretion gave some indication of the balance of these nutrients. Children who had intestinal troubles showed only a slight positive or negative balance of calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese, since we found a high faecel excretion for these elements. These rather unsatisfactory results emphasis the necessity of first curing any intestinal aliments.