Poor Folate Status in Indian Children Associated with Increased Risk of Developing Diarrhea

A recently published report by Indian and Scandinavian researchers has describe the association between folate and vitamin B-12 status and the risk of developing diarrhea in a large group (n=2296) of children (six to 30 months of age) living in an urban area outside of New Delhi, India.

19 April 2012 --- It has been well appreciated that certain micronutrients, such as vitamin A and zinc, play a role in immune function. Moreover, deficiencies of these micronutrients have been associated with increased risk of infectious diseases, including diarrheal disease, a major source of illness and mortality in young children in developing countries.  Less is known, however, about the role of the B-vitamins, such as folate and vitamin B-12, in immune function and the risk of diarrheal disease.  However, given the importance of these micronutrients in DNA synthesis and cell proliferation, it is reasonable to assume that deficiencies of these B-vitamins could increase the incidence or severity of infectious disease.

A recently published report by Indian and Scandinavian researchers has describe the association between folate and vitamin B-12 status and the risk of developing diarrhea in a large group (n=2296) of children (six to 30 months of age) living in an urban area outside of New Delhi, India.  This analysis represented a secondary data analysis from a cohort of children that were participants in a prospective 4-month zinc supplementation trial.  During this time period the children’s mothers were interviewed weekly to ascertain the presence of acute (<7days), prolonged (<14 days) or persistent (>14 days) diarrhea in the study subjects.  Blood was analyzed to determine folate and vitamin B-12 status of the children.

The findings of this analysis indicated that children in the lowest quintile of plasma folate concentration had a significantly higher risk (odds ratio = 1.77) of developing persistent diarrhea during the study period.  Interestingly, this risk was clearly dependent on gender.  Boys in the lowest quintile of folate concentration had a 2.5-fold increase in risk of persistent diarrhea, while girls with a similarly low folate status were not at increased risk (OR=1.03) of developing persistent diarrhea.  Also, in both boys and girls, vitamin B-12 status was not a predictor of diarrheal risk.  Provision of increased amounts of dietary folate to young children may be of benefit in reducing the burden of diarrheal diseases and reduce child mortality.