Dietary intake from complementary feeding is associated with intestinal barrier function and environmental enteropathy in Brazilian children from the MAL-ED cohort study.

This study aimed to evaluate the relations between complementary feeding, intestinal barrier function, and environmental enteropathy (EE) in infants. Data from 233 children were obtained from the Brazilian site of the MAL-ED cohort study. Habitual dietary intake from complementary feeding was estimated using seven 24 h dietary recalls, from 9 to 15 months of age. Intestinal barrier function was assessed using the lactulose/mannitol test (L/M) and EE was determined as a composite measure using fecal biomarkers concentrations - alpha-1-antitrypsin, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neopterin (NEO) at 15 months of age. The nutrient adequacies explored the associations between dietary intake and the intestinal biomarkers. Children showed adequate nutrient intakes (with the exception of fiber), impaired intestinal barrier function, and intestinal inflammation. There was a negative correlation between energy adequacy and L/M (ρ = -0.19, p <0.05) and between folate adequacy and NEO concentrations (ρ = -0.21, p <0.01). In addition, there was a positive correlation between thiamine adequacy and MPO concentration (ρ = 0.22, p <0.01) and between calcium adequacy and NEO concentration (ρ = 0.23; p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression models showed that energy intakes were inversely associated with intestinal barrier function (β = -0.19, p = 0.02) and, fiber intake was inversely associated with the EE scores (β = -0.20, p = 0.04). Findings suggest that dietary intake from complem...
Source: The British Journal of Nutrition - Category: Nutrition Authors: Tags: Br J Nutr Source Type: research