EFFICACY OF TRADITIONAL RICE-LENTIL-YOGURT DIET, LACTOSE FREE MILK PROTEIN-BASED FORMULA AND SOY PROTEIN FORMULA IN MANAGEMENT OF SECONDARYLACTOSE-INTOLERANCE WITH ACUTE CHILDHOOD DIARRHEA

Secondary lactose intolerance is often a cause of prolongation of diar rhoeal episodes, As appropriate management of lactose intolerance is e limination of lactose from diet, expansive lactose free formulae are o ften prescribed in acute childhood diarrhoea without establishing diag nosis of lactose intolerance, Since cheap weaning diets made from loca lly available cereals have been found effective in management of persi stent diarrhoea, we postulated that same weaning diet made of rice len til and yogurt (K-Y diet) could be effectively used in management of a cute childhood diarrhoea associated with secondary lactose intolerance , We compared this K-Y diet with milk protein-based lactose free and s oy-protein formula, Thirty children between 3-18 months of age complet ed dietary trial for 72 h. Of these nine children received K-Y diet (G roup A), four children received milk protein-based formula (Group B) a nd 11 children received soy protein formula (Group C), Stool frequency was significantly reduced in children in Group A (13+/-6 on day 1 to 6+/-5 on day 3) and in Group B (13+/-5 on day 1 to 7+/-4 on day 3), bu t not in Group C (13+/-4 on day 1 to 10+/-8 on day 3). No significant difference was observed in intake of diet, total calories intake, and fluid intake among the three groups. It is concluded that cheap weanin g diet made of locally available cereals and yogurt can be used effect ively in management of secondary lactose intolerance associated with a cute childhood diarrhoea.