Lactose Malabsorption in Ethiopian Children

SUMMARY Oral lactose tolerance test was performed on 183 Ethiopian and 28 Caucasian children resident in Ethiopia. A study of various sampling time intervals during the lactose tolerance test indiaated that the fasting and 40 min samples were sufficient and the most suited for large incidence studies. The incidence of lactose malabsorption amongst Ethiopian children was found to be 80%, being 61.5% in the under 1 year age group and 89.7% in the older children (7–13 years). An unexpected finding was the high incidence of 25% amongst Caucasian children (mainly Scandinavians). Altered intestinal bacterial flora and/or repeated gastrointestinal infections and prolonged reduced intake of milk are offered as possible factors for the high incidence. Milk consumption in normal quantities (250 ml) by a school population of malabsorbers gave rise toabdominal symptoms“in some but this rapidly abated by 4 weeks to reach the preconsumption level. This preliminary observation, if confirmed, should encourage the use of milk as a valuable source of supplementary food in communities where protein calorie malnutrition is widespread.