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Diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Egypt, as in many developing countries. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) has been shown to be effective for the treatment of dehydration which often occurs during diarrhea. However, malnutrition, a common side effect of diarrheal illness, cannot be prevented or treated by ORT alone; the food and fluids which the child receives during and following diarrhea will determine to a large extent the nutritional consequences of the illness.
This study investigated the types of traditional foods given to children ill with diarrhea, and their composition, in order to identify foods which are in traditional use which could be modified for use as an enriched ORT product.
Between August and October, 1984, mothers of 3,130 children were interviewed while seeking medical care for their children's diarrheal illnesses at health centers in several locations in Egypt. Information collected included age and sex of the child, type of water supply and drainage system in the home, and the type of traditional foods used during and after diarrhea. These foods were then prepared using recipes given by the mothers and analyzed for proximate composition, sodium and potassium. Although none of the traditional foods given were adequate as a source of protein or electrolytes, several of the popular ones could be modified by addition of salt to be appropriate enriched ORT sources.