RE: [pronut-hiv] Zn, A cut Malaria Risk in Kids (3)

["Karen Fukofuka" <KarenF@spc.int>]

Hi Basil,
I came across this the other day which I think you may be intersted in from the Bill & Melinda gates Foundation. Overnutrition and Malnutrition is one of the top priority areas for funding as well as TB, Malaria ect

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ForGrantSeekers/GlobalHealth/ 

Good luck

Karen

-----Basil Kransdorff wrote:

Hi George,

It is amazing how the obvious takes so long to get understood and accepted.  Now we have yet another clinical trial that shows 'scientific evidence" that nutrition is 'important'.

Africa has lived for thousands of years with malaria but now people are dropping like fly's.  The present crisis around malaria I believe is more linked to the drop in nutritional status of people as a result of urbanization, the move away from traditional foods to commercially grown processed foods. I think the caution note is even more illuminating - that the data only applies to those suffering from nutrient deficiencies.  This highlights for me the importance once again of  effective  nutrition that must become the primary intervention of health.

My guess is - this will become a major debating point for many medical doctors whose hair will rise and who will accuse me and the masses of trying to promote the idea that nutrition is a substitute for drugs or that I should be excommunicated for  promoting the illusion that good nutrition is a cure for malaria.!!!

The basis of all Health Care must become a nutrient replete population and not as it has become - facilities that only dispense drugs drugs and more drugs.

That drugs must be used when required is not open to debate or negotiation.

Primary Health Care must be implemented by those with up to date nutritions knowledge.  If the medical profession want to take up the challenge
- then they can be the implementers of
nutritional interventions.  If they do not get up to speed with the latest understandings on nutrition  - they are going to be left behind a new more effective approach  that will become the basis of dispensing primary health care.

The example on malaria is no difference to the TB crisis where millions of dollars are being poured into TB drugs and TB research.  Look at the results - an even bigger threat - drug resistant TB.  TB is a poverty related disease and like malaria - effective nutrition should be used as the primary intervention.

Perhaps somebody should speak to Bill Gate and give him some good advise - invest in nutrition and not only drugs in your well funded TB and Malaria programs.

Kind Regards,

Basil Kransdorff


>I'll bet an inexpensive multi would be even better; one designed for 
>kids. Or a fortified food. Then the horrifying dangers/warning 
>mentioned at the end can be avoided.
>
>But then we've known that for years and nothing changes. And millions 
>will suffer, starve and die of preventable and treatable diseases.
>
>The genocide marches on so profits may be increased!
>George M. Carter
>
>**
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7231096.stm
>   BBC NEWS
>Supplements 'reduce malaria toll'
>Cheap dietary supplements could protect young children from malaria, 
>research suggests.
>
>The study, published in Nutrition Journal, found giving children 
>vitamin A and zinc cut incidence of illness by a third.
>
>Malaria remains a major killer in many parts of the world - in sub- 
>Saharan Africa it is estimated to account for a million child deaths a 
>year.
>
>Resistance to drug treatments is an increasing problem.
>
>And efforts to kill the infected mosquitoes that spread the disease 
>have been hampered by the use of ineffective insecticides.
>
>Many people living in malaria endemic areas suffer from malnutrition so 
>researchers in Burkina Faso experimented with adding vitamin A and zinc 
>supplements to the diets of children aged from six months to six years.
>
>Half of the children were given a placebo. After six months the 
>scientists observed a 34% decrease in incidence of malaria in those 
>children taking the supplements.
>
>Among those children who did catch the illness, those taking 
>supplements were more resistant to the disease and suffered fewer fever 
>episodes.
>
>The researchers, from Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, 
>believe the combined supplements boosted the children's immune system, 
>making them more naturally resistant to malaria.
>
>They believe the supplements could be an effective long term strategy 
>to reduce the impact of malaria.
>
>Caution required
>
>Dr Ron Behrens, an expert in tropical diseases at the London School of 
>Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said zinc supplementation had also been 
>shown to have a positive impact on respiratory disease and cholera.
>
>However, he said use of supplements might only work in communities with 
>specific nutritional deficiencies - and those deficiencies might only 
>exist at certain times of year.
>
>For instance, vitamin A deficiency was a problem in West Africa during 
>the rainy season, but not when palm oil was in plentiful supply.
>
>Dr Behrens also warned that too much zinc could have a negative impact 
>on the body's ability to make use of other minerals, such as copper and 
>selenium.
>
>Vitamin A in excess had been shown to be toxic, he said, causing brain 
>swelling and other complications.
>
>"Neither of these micro-nutrients is totally safe. They should be used 
>like pharmaceuticals, and not seen as cure alls," he said.
>Story from BBC NEWS:
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7231096.stm
>
>Published: 2008/02/06 17:11:19 GMT
>
>© BBC MMVIII
>
>