Use of D-xylose to detect ingestion of a powdered milk food supplement by family members other than the children 0-2 years of age for whom it was intended

Malnutrition is a leading cause of death among children, especially infants and preschool children, in Brazil and other parts of the Americas (1). The problem is made worse by the fact that many families fail to accord their infants and young children special nutritional status despite their special needs, and also by the fact that food programs find these age groups hard to reach. The prevailing programs seeking to deal with malnutrition in Brazil at present are food supplementation programs in which health units responsible for disease prevention and control within communities are charged with distributing powdered milk for home consumption. Experience with these programs to date suggests they have not satisfactorily reduced morbidity and mortality, and that the