Objective To determine the effect of bovine lactoferrin on prevention of diarrhea in children. Study design We conducted a community-based randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial comparing supplementation with bovine lactoferrin versus placebo. Previously weaned children were enrolled at 12–18 months and followed for 6 months with daily home visits for data collection and supplement administration. Anthropometric measures were done monthly. Results 555 children were randomized: 277 to lactoferrin and 278 to placebo; 65 dropped out; 147,894 doses were administered (92% compliance). Overall there were 91,446 child-days of observation and 1,235 diarrhea episodes lasting 6,219 days. The main pathogens isolated during diarrheal episodes were norovirus (35.0%), enteropathogenic E. coli (11.4%), Campylobacter (10.6%), enteroaggregative E. coli (8.4%), enterotoxigenic E. coli (6.9%) and Shigella (6.6%). The diarrhea incidence was not different between groups: 5.4 vs. 5.2 episodes/child/year for lactoferrin and placebo, respectively (p=0.375). However, the diarrhea longitudinal prevalence was lower in the lactoferrin group (6.6% vs. 7.0%, p=0.017) as well as the median duration of episodes (4.8 vs. 5.3 days, p=0.046), proportion of episodes with moderate or severe dehydration (1.0% vs. 2.6%, p=0.045) and liquid stools load (95.0 vs. 98.6) liquid stools/child/year, p<0.001). There were no adverse events related to the intervention. Conclusions Although there was no decrease in diarrhea incidence, longitudinal prevalence and severity were decreased with lactoferrin.

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The FPi was well accepted and there was no significant difference in growth between both groups. FPi is a potential source of animal protein at lower cost.

We found a good acceptability of FPi in cereal and pseudocereal beverages in children under 6 years of age. FPi is an alternative to improve the consumption of animal protein in the nutrition of children, especially in pre-schoolers.