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Dietary and socio-economic factors associated with beriberi in breastfed Lao infants

Douangdao Soukaloun1, Sengchanh Kounnavong, Bounthom Pengdy

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Annals of Tropical Paediatrics
|October 22, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Infant beriberi in Lao PDR is linked to maternal diet and socioeconomic status. Rice preparation methods and limited food diversity in mothers significantly increase infant risk.

Area of Science:

  • Nutrition
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Beriberi, a disease caused by thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, can affect infants.
  • Infantile beriberi presents as congestive heart failure or shock, particularly in breastfed infants.
  • Understanding risk factors is crucial for prevention and early intervention in affected populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify dietary and socio-economic factors associated with beriberi in infants in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
  • To compare these factors between infants diagnosed with beriberi and healthy controls.
  • To inform public health strategies for preventing infantile beriberi.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study design was employed.
  • Forty-three breastfed infants diagnosed with beriberi were matched with 43 healthy, breastfed control infants.
  • Data on maternal diet, rice preparation, education, income, occupation, and marital status were collected and compared.

Main Results:

  • Mothers of infants with beriberi exhibited significantly less dietary diversity.
  • Specific rice preparation methods, such as prolonged soaking of glutinous rice or discarding water from non-glutinous rice, were more common.
  • Maternal factors included fewer years of schooling, inadequate income, hard physical labor, and being married to farmers.

Conclusions:

  • Infantile beriberi in Lao PDR is strongly associated with maternal dietary practices, particularly rice preparation methods.
  • Socio-economic status, including education and income, plays a significant role in the incidence of beriberi.
  • Targeted nutritional education and socioeconomic support for lactating mothers are essential for preventing thiamine deficiency in infants.

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