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Study to investigate the potential of probiotics in children attending school

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 65, pages 447–453 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

To determine if consumption of yogurt containing a high dose of probiotic (1 × 1010 colony-forming unit per 100 ml), Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis), decreases absences in children 2–4 years attending daycare/school centers.

Subjects/Methods:

We conducted a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, allocation concealment clinical trial in the Washington, DC area. Our active intervention was a strawberry yogurt-based drink supplemented with B. lactis BB-12. The placebo was indistinguishable from the active drink, differing only in absence of the probiotic BB-12.

Results:

A total of 172 children between the ages of 2 and 4 from the Washington, DC area were enrolled. The primary outcome, missed days of school because of illness per 100 days, was similar in both the active (2.54 days absent/100 school days) and control groups (2.42 days absent/100 school days) (P=0.873).

Conclusions:

The probiotic-containing yogurt-based beverage studied did not decrease absences because of illnesses in daycare/school for healthy children ages 2–4 years.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Spencer Whitlock, research assistant, and CAPRICORN research coordinator Tina Tan, for their invaluable help. We would also like to thank the Data Safety Monitoring Board, Tamar Ringel-Kulka, MD (Chair), Alan Simon, MD and Felice Roggen, JD. We are also indebted to Etta Saltos, National Program Leader of Human Nutrition at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA and to the USDA for their help and financial support. This project was supported by National Research Initiative Grant 2008-35200-04475 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    D Merenstein, J Gonzalez & A G Young

  2. Department of Food Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    R F Roberts

  3. Dairy and Food Culture Technologies, Centennial, CO, USA

    M E Sanders

  4. Robert Graham Center, Washington, DC, USA

    S Petterson

Authors
  1. D Merenstein
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  2. J Gonzalez
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  3. A G Young
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  4. R F Roberts
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  5. M E Sanders
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  6. S Petterson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J Gonzalez.

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Competing interests

Dr Mary Ellen Sanders consults for numerous probiotic manufacturers. From 2006–2008, Amy Guimarães Young worked for a health sciences consulting company that conducted safety evaluations for probiotic manufacturers. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Contributors: Study concept and design: DM, RFR, SP, MES; acquisition of data: DM, AGY, Whitlock, JG; analysis and interpretation of data: DM, JG, RFR, SP, MES; initial drafting of the paper: DM, JG; critical revision of the paper for important intellectual content: RFR, SP, MES; statistical analysis: SP, DM; obtained funding: DM.

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Merenstein, D., Gonzalez, J., Young, A. et al. Study to investigate the potential of probiotics in children attending school. Eur J Clin Nutr 65, 447–453 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.290

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