Calorie intake, frequency of stool and duration of diarrhoea in children in rural south Sumatera, Indonesia.
One hundred twenty-five children 12-30 months old in a rural area of South Sumatera, Indonesia, were followed for 6 months to observe the changes in caloric intake during their first episodes of diarrhoea. The reasons for these changes were explored. Efforts have also been made to test the association between caloric intake and frequency of stools or duration of diarrhoea. Fifty-three first diarrhoeal episodes occurring in 53 children were analyzed. During months when diarrhoea occurred, the average caloric intake during diarrhoeal episodes was 61.98% of the recommended requirements for age, compared with 74.57% of the recommended requirements for age on days without diarrhoea. Thus, there was a 17% reduction during diarrhoea (p < .05). Children with high intake (> 74.57% of recommended requirements) had more stools (p < .05 day 1; p = .059 day 2) but not significantly fewer days of diarrhoea than those with low intake (< 74.57%). Anorexia was the only dominant factor in causing reduced intake. We conclude that the reduced intake is a consequence of child anorexia and is associated with fewer stools but no change in duration. We, therefore, emphasize that mothers should be more attentive in persuading the anorectic child to eat more. This is because, although frequency of stools may increase during the first days of diarrhoea as a result of more feeding, the time to recovery is no longer than when food is reduced, and because increased feeding helps to prevent malnutrition.
Pardede
N
N
Diarrhoeal Diseases Research and Training Study Group, School of Medicine, Sriwijaya University, Palembang, Indonesia.
Burhanuddin
D
D
Ismail
R
R
Asyiek
F
F
Arisman
E B
EB
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003672:Defecation; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007214:Indonesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors