ANALYSIS OF YOGURT AND COMMERCIAL PROBIOTICS CONSUMPTION IN THE DURATION OF DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN

Introduction: Probiotics are living microbial food supplements which beneficially affect the host body by improving its microbial balance. Objectives of the study: The basic aim of the study was to analyze the yogurt and commercial probiotics consumption in the duration of diarrhea in children. Methodology of the study: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Lahore General Hospital during January 2019 to September 2019. For this purpose of study we select the children of age 2 years to 10 years who consume the yogurt on daily basis. We get all the data related to dietary intake of selected participants. During the run-in period after stratification for body mass index (BMI) and age, participants were requested to record their dietary intakes for three nonconsecutive days. We select 70 participants for this study and divided into two groups. Results: Seventy children completed the study (29 girls, 41 boys; age 6.6±3.0 years; weight 28.2±11.0 kg; 36 placebo group, 34 probiotic group). Baseline characteristics were generally similar, but there were relatively more girls in the placebo group than in the probiotic group, and more children in the placebo group received antibiotic treatment. Analyses were also conducted to assess the differences in results for children with and without known susceptibility of diarrhoea in response to antibiotic treatment, and these differences were not significant (all p>0.7). Conclusion: It is concluded that probiotics effect on diarrhea is controversial and it is the different patient materials (various diseases) and the different probiotic strains that have been used