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Impact of acute diarrhoea & oral rehydration solution on nutritional status of preschool children
Insights
Children with malnutrition experienced more diarrhea, but acute diarrhea episodes did not impact growth. Oral rehydration solution (ORS) showed no long-term nutritional benefits in this low-morbidity rural setting.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition
Background:
- Diarrhea remains a significant health concern in children globally.
- Malnutrition is often linked to increased susceptibility to infections like diarrhea.
- Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a standard treatment for dehydration due to diarrhea.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between nutritional status and diarrhea incidence in young children.
- To assess the impact of acute diarrhea on growth parameters.
- To evaluate the long-term nutritional benefits of ORS in a rural population with low diarrhea morbidity.
Main Methods:
- A one-year longitudinal study followed 838 children under 5 years in rural Punjab.
- Data collected included diarrhea episodes, oral rehydration solution (ORS) usage, and nutritional status (weight-for-age, arm circumference).
- Children were categorized based on weight-for-age percentiles to compare diarrhea incidence and growth outcomes.
Main Results:
- Children with weight-for-age below 70% had a 25% higher incidence of diarrhea compared to those above 70%.
- No significant differences in weight or arm circumference growth were observed between children who had diarrhea (with or without ORS) and those who did not.
- The prevalence of malnutrition remained unchanged at the study's end, regardless of diarrhea history or ORS use.
Conclusions:
- Pre-existing malnutrition is a risk factor for higher diarrhea incidence in low-morbidity rural settings.
- Acute diarrhea episodes do not significantly affect short-term growth or malnutrition prevalence in this context.
- The long-term nutritional benefits of oral rehydration solution (ORS) in this specific population are questionable.
Abstract:
A total of 838 children under 5 yr of age were followed up in 2 villages of Punjab for a period of one year for diarrhoea morbidity, oral rehydration solution (ORS) usage and nutritional status. Overall frequency of diarrhoea was 0.78 episode/child/year. Children weighing less than or equal to 70 per cent of reference weight for age had about 25 per cent higher incidence of diarrhoea (102 episodes/100 child/yr) as compared to those who weighed greater than or equal to 71 per cent (75 episodes/100 children/yr; P less than 0.05). At the end of one year there was no significant difference in the weight and arm circumference growth of children who had diarrhoea and received ORS and those who did not. Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for age criteria) in children with and without diarrhoea at the beginning and end of the study also remained unchanged, irrespective of ORS usage. These observations indicate that in rural areas with low diarrhoea morbidity (i) pre-existing malnutrition (weight for age less than 70%) is associated with 25 per cent higher diarrhoea incidence; (ii) acute diarrhoea does not significantly affect weight and arm circumference growth and prevalence of malnutrition; and (iii) the long-term nutritional benefit of ORS if any, is doubtful.