USE OF SOY FIBER IN ACUTE DIARRHEA IN INFANTS AND TODDLERS

Soy fiber has been shown to reduce the duration of watery stools durin g acute diarrhea caused by bacterial and viral pathogens in underdevel oped countries, A randomized blinded clinical trial was conducted with middle-class American children to assess the efficacy of soy fiber-su pplemented infant formula. Stool characteristics, intake, and weight w ere recorded. Infants >6 months of age (n = 44) fed soy fiber-suppleme nted formula (Isomil DF(R)) had a significantly shorter estimated medi an duration of diarrhea (9.7 hours vs. 23.1 hours) than those fed soy formula (Isomil(R)). The use of fiber-supplemented soy formula may red uce the duration of diarrheal symptoms in U.S. infants more than 6 mon ths of age with acute diarrhea.