American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 14, 331-341, Copyright © 1964 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Peanut Protein and Milk Protein Blends in the Treatment of Kwashiorkor

¹ From The Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India

Two protein blends developed by the Central Food Technological Research Institute Mysore, India, containing peanut protein isolate combined with either dry skimmed milk or with casein, lysine and methionine, have been compared with an equal amount of skimmed milk protein in the treatment of kwashiorkor. The protein blends were fed at a level of 5 gm. protein per kg. per day, and the diet provided about 120 calories per kg. A total of fifty-four children were included in this feeding trial, eighteen in each diet group.

The clinical response was satisfactory in all groups of children. There was no significant difference in the number of days needed for edema to disappear, for achievement of minimum body weight or for gain in weight (after minimum) per gram of nitrogen ingested. Diarrhea persisted somewhat longer in children fed skimmed milk than in those given the experimental blends.

There was no significant difference in the rate of regeneration of serum proteins or in the levels of hemoglobin in the children receiving either blend and those given skimmed milk. Serum vitamin A increased more rapidly in the children on the skimmed milk diet than in those fed the blends. However, by four weeks there was no significant difference between serum vitamin A levels in the three groups.

Nitrogen balance measurements were carried out on four children in each diet group during the first ten days and again during the third week of treatment. There was no significant difference in nitrogen retention among the various diet groups.