Some Problems of Tropical Sprue

Coeliac Disease: A Relation between Dietary Starch and Fat Absorption

“…or less. Fat absorption is known to be defective in tropical sprue, and Black and Fourman (1947), when conducting fat balance investigations in this condition, pointed out that the customary period of four days for a balance test was unreliable because consutive four-day balances could show considerable variation in the amount of fat absorbed, and they therefore extended the period in their investgtions to twelve days.-It would seem that in a normal subject a four-day period for a balanc test may be sufficiently long, but that when a defect in fat absorption is to be expected a longer period is required. Failure to absorb fat is constantly found in coehac disease and therefore it was decided to conduct the balances on the coeliac children over twelve-day periods.…”