American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 25, 664-671, Copyright © 1972 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Acquired disaccharide intolerance in children with malnutrition

¹ Associate Professor in Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

In our study we have reached the following conclusions to our questions regarding the acquired disaccharide intolerance observed in children with malnutrition.

1) A relationship exists between the degree of malnutrition and the absorption of disaccharides.

2) In children with severe malnutrition, the pH content of stools decreased following lactose. No outstanding difference was observed between the average pH levels of the urine of malnourished children and that of the normal group while both groups were undergoing the tolerance tests.

3) No significant difference was found between the average blood sugar and pH levels of the stool and urine in malnourished children and in those of the control group while both groups were taking the glucose plus galactose tolerance tests.

4) Of the 19 children with severe malnutrition who were given a milk diet for 3 days, 9 showed an intolerance to milk and suffered from diarrhea and in two cases the pH content of stools showed an acid tendency.

5) Seventeen children with severe malnutrition were given a high protein diet for 5 days, calculated according to their weight and food tolerance. None of these cases showed any signs of watery stools and the pH content seemed to be changing toward the alkaline.

6) Twelve children with severe malnutrition were given a high protein diet for 2.5 months. The lactose tolerance tests carried out at the end of this period showed normal results in 10 of these children.