Rapid catch-up growth of children fed a high-protein diet during convalescence from shigellosis

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sixty-nine children age 2–5 y, convalescing from shigellosis in a randomized clinical trial were fed either a high-protein diet containing 628 kJ · kg−1 · d−1 with 15% of total energy as protein, or a standard-protein diet that was isoenergetic but with 7.5% of total energy as protein for 21 d. Children fed the high-protein diet showed a significant increase in height (1.02 ± 0.44 cm; x̄ ± SD) compared with the children who were fed the standard-protein diet (0.69 ± 0.34 cm; P < 0.001). Similarly, increases in body weight were 1.25 ± 0.48 vs 0.86 ± 0.48 kg for the high-protein and the standard-protein diet, respectively (P < 0.001). The mean increases of serum proteins were also significantly higher in the high-protein group (P < 0.01). These results indicate that increasing the protein content of the diet during convalescence from shigellosis in children leads to more rapid catch-up growth.