Search

Background: Because of its contribution to dietary diversity and to favorable intakes of micronutrients, including iron and zinc, meat is hypothesized to be a valuable complementary food for the infant and young child. However, the evidence base remains limited., Objective: To compare the difference in anthropometric measurements of rural Chinese infants and toddlers 6 to 18 months of age who received a daily supplement of meat or cereal for 12 months., Methods: This cluster-randomized, controlled study provided a daily supplement of either meat (n = 514, 20 clusters) or cereal (n = 957, 40 clusters) starting as a first complementary food at 6 months of age. Anthropometric measurements were assessed longitudinally., Results: After 12 months of intervention, the meat group (δ13.01 ± 1.9 cm) had greater (p = .01) linear growth than the cereal group (δ12.75 ± 1.8 cm) and a smaller decrease in length-for-age z-score (LAZ) over time (-0.43 ± 0.72 in the meat group vs. -0.54 ± 0.67 in the cereal group), after adjustment for baseline length, LAZ, maternal education, work status, and maternal height and weight., Conclusions: Linear growth was modestly greater in the meat group than in the cereal group. LAZ was substantially negative at 6 months, and the intervention did not prevent ongoing decline over the course of the study.

Background: Fecal calprotectin (FC) is an established simple biomarker of gut inflammation. To examine a possible relationship between linear growth and gut inflammation, we compared fecal calprotectin levels in 6 month old infants from poor rural vs affluent urban families., Methods: The project was a cross-sectional comparison of FC from rural and urban populations in China. The relationship between length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) and FC concentrations were also compared. Single fecal samples were assayed for FC using EK-CAL ELISA kits., Results: The age of subjects for both locations was 6.1 ± 0.2 mo; all were apparently healthy. The mean ± SD of the LAZ for the rural and urban infants were -0.6 ± 0.9 and 0.4 ± 0.9, respectively. FC had a non-normal distribution. The median FC of 420.9 and 140.1 μg/g for rural and urban infants, respectively, were significantly different (P < 0.0001). For the rural group, linear regression analysis showed that an increase in FC of 100 μg/g was associated with a decrease of 0.06 in LAZ., Conclusion: FC levels were significantly elevated in the rural infants and high concentrations accounted for approximately one-third of the low LAZ scores of these infants.

The rationale for promoting the availability of local, affordable, non-fortified food sources of bioavailable iron in developing countries is considered in this review. Intake of iron from the regular consumption of meat from the age of 6 months is evaluated with respect to physiological requirements. Two major randomized controlled trials evaluating meat as a first and regular complementary food are described in this article. These trials are presently in progress in poor communities in Guatemala, Pakistan, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and China., (© 2011 International Life Sciences Institute.)

Background: Measurement of the major variables of zinc homeostasis is an essential prerequisite for estimating human zinc requirements, which currently require a factorial approach. The data required for this approach have not been available for toddlers, whose requirements have been estimated by extrapolation from other age groups., Objective: The objective of the study was to measure key variables of zinc homeostasis in rural and small-town Chinese toddlers., Design: Zinc stable-isotope tracers were administered intravenously and orally with all meals for 1 d to 43 toddlers. Subsequent metabolic collections in the homes included duplicate diets, quantitative fecal collections, and spot urine sampling. Fractional absorption of zinc (FAZ) was measured by a dual-isotope tracer ratio technique, and endogenous fecal zinc (EFZ) was measured by an isotope dilution technique., Results: No group or sex differences were found. Therefore, results were combined for 43 toddlers aged 19-25 mo whose major food staple was white rice. Selected results (x+/- SD) were 1.86 +/- 0.55 mg total dietary Zn/d; 0.35 +/- 0.12 FAZ; 0.63 +/- 0.24 mg total absorbed Zn/d; 0.67 +/- 0.23 mg EFZ/d; and 65.0 +/- 8.3 microg plasma Zn/dL. The molar ratio of dietary phytate to zinc was 2.7:1., Conclusions: The mean intake and absorption of zinc in this population are low in comparison with estimated average dietary and physiologic requirements for zinc, and plasma zinc values are consistent with zinc deficiency. Intestinal losses of endogenous zinc exceed previous estimates for toddlers, and only modest evidence exists of conservation in response to low zinc intake and absorption.

A retinol (15 mg), riboflavin (200 mg) and zinc (50 mg) supplement or a placebo (D-mannitol) was given to 610 Chinese farmers weekly for 13.5 months. Riboflavin, retinol, beta-carotene, tocopherol and zinc status were measured in all subjects at the start and end of the intervention and in a subsample at 2 months. Plasma vitamin C, haemoglobin and haematocrits were measured on other subsamples at the end of the supplementation period. At the start vitamin A, zinc and riboflavin status were poor. Plasma retinol and zinc concentrations were higher in men than women but the opposite was observed with respect to beta-carotene. There was no difference between the sexes for tocopherol and riboflavin. Tocopherol:cholesterol ratios suggested vitamin E status was good and vitamin C status also appeared adequate. The supplement increased plasma retinol throughout the whole period but riboflavin status improved only over the first 2 months and then remained constant. Plasma zinc increased in both treatment and placebo groups by approximately 15 to 20 per cent in men and women. Mean concentrations of retinol and tocopherol and beta-carotene (in women only) increased by approximately 20 per cent in the placebo group. It is argued that seasonal factors and/or the placebo may have been responsible for the increase in retinol and beta-carotene in the placebo group. The lack of an increase in beta-carotene in the men may have been due to their higher retinol requirements. Lastly, the increase in retinol may have been responsible for the increase in tocopherol and zinc in plasma since these nutrients increased in those whose plasma retinol increased, irrespective of treatment.

1. An endoscopic survey was done in Linxian, Henan Province, Northern China on 527 people in May 1980 and histological evidence of oesophageal lesions was obtained. 2. Blood samples were collected from 58 men and 53 women aged 22-71 yr. Measurements of riboflavin, vitamin A and zinc status were made. 3. Most (97 per cent) had biochemical ariboflavinosis on the basis of erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficients equal to or greater than 1.30. Five per cent of subjects had deficient vitamin A status (plasma retinol less than 10 micrograms/dl and one of these subjects reported night blindness) and 37 per cent had low vitamin A status (10-20 micrograms/dl). Approximately 24 per cent of the Chinese had low plasma zinc by comparison with values for subjects in Denver. Plasma retinol binding protein concentration was also low but was only measured in 56 subjects. 4. Concentrations of plasma carotene were relatively high and only one person had a value less than 20 micrograms/dl. The value of plasma carotene as a measure of vitamin A status in this community is discussed. 5. There was no difference between the sexes for any of the measurements made. In addition there was no difference in the biochemical measurements between those with and without oesophageal lesions (oesophagitis 66 per cent, clear cell acanthosis (CCA) 88 per cent) or those with intermittent dysphagia (26 per cent). 6. Multiple linear regression showed no relationship between the biochemical data and either oesophagitis or CCA. There were, however, inverse relationships between oesophagitis and CCA in both sexes and in addition, plasma carotene and riboflavin status tended to fall while plasma retinol tended to increase with age. 7. The role which these nutritional deficiencies may play in facilitating neoplastic processes is discussed.

In two surveys in The Peoples Republic of China, blood samples were collected for nutritional studies in two counties where the risks of esophageal cancer are very different. The first survey was done in May 1980 in Linxian County (Henan Province) where the risk of esophageal cancer is very high. Blood samples were obtained from 111 persons (58 men, 53 women) who were selected randomly from 528 subjects that underwent endoscopical examination. The second survey was done in May 1981 in Jiaoxian County (Shandong Province) where the risk of esophageal cancer is reported to be relatively low. Blood samples were obtained from 120 persons (66 men, 54 women) who were selected randomly from 252 subjects that had also had undergone endoscopy. The blood samples were used to measure the nutritional status of riboflavin (erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient), vitamin A (retinol and carotene concentrations), and zinc (plasma and hair zinc concentrations). Only riboflavin status was significantly different in the two communities. The distribution of erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient values suggested that riboflavin status was much better in the low-risk community. Also in May 1981, a few more blood samples were obtained from some of the participants of the previous year's study in Linxian. A slight improvement in riboflavin and zinc status was detected. We considered the possibility that these changes may have been linked to the socioeconomic changes currently taking place in rural areas. Data were also collected from food allocation records in 15 production brigades in Linxian and 13 production brigades in Jiaoxian in the same years. The records used represented the food consumption of 3,491 and 2,552 persons, respectively, and were used to calculate daily food and nutrient intakes in the two communities. Dietary analyses highlighted the vegetarian nature of the diet, the low consumption of riboflavin, and the virtual dependence on carotene for vitamin A. Both communities consumed very little in the way of animal products or fruit, but intake of these items was higher in Jiaoxian.