Lactose malabsorption in Bangladeshi village children: relation with age, history of recent diarrhea, nutritional status, and breast feeding

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Abstract
The prevalence of lactose malabsorption (LM) among Bangladeshi village children has been determined using the recently developed breath hydrogen test. Initial hospital-based comparison studies showed general agreement between the breath hydrogen test and a modified lactose tolerance test. Two hundred thirty-four children, stratified by age, nutritional status, and history of recent diarrhea then participated in the field study. LM was diagnosed in more than 80% of children over 36 months of age but in none of the children under 6 months. Rates of LM were significantly increased in children with a history of recent diarrhea and a greater proportion of children in some age groups evidenced malabsorption in association with acute undernutrition. In the weanling age group children who were still breast feeding had a lower rate of LM than fully weaned subjects.