[Tolerance and digestibility of Peruvian "common foods" in malnourished infants]

Six diets were prepared based on commonly used Peruvian foods, mainly of vegetable origin, which were offered to eight infants (mean age: 12.8 +/- 8.2 months) recovering from malnutrition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability, tolerance and digestibility of the diets in question. Five were prepared with a potato and wheat base (noodle) and the sixth with a quinua-oats base. The acceptability and tolerance was satisfacotry, allowing maintenance of an adequate calorie and protein intake in all patients except one. On the quinua-oats based diet, the mean apparent absorption of nitrogen and fat was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than in the case of the other diets. The increase in height coefficient (height age/chronological age X 100) and weight/age proved to be adequate during the study, except in the three youngest patients. The authors consider that this type of diets (potato-wheat based) can be recommended for infant feeding after the first year of life, and that the quinua-oats based diet still needs a more thorough evaluation prior to recommending its use.