Characteristics of maternal and child nutrition in relation to infant mortality in Kazakh SSR
Studies of actual nutrition patterns of women in pregnancy and lactation living in Kazakhstan regions with highest infant mortality rates showed significant deficiency of animal proteins, essential amino acids, and vitamins A, E and C. The prevalence of anemias amounted to 40-90% and that of hypogalactia to 32%. At the same time, the breast milk was found to have reduced protein and fat content at its high carbophos contamination. From 70 to 90% of cow milk samples were found to be contaminated with carbophos. Food products for children showed high levels of contamination with aflatoxin producing strains of micromyces. The priority tasks of nutritionists are to create of specialized therapeutic and prophylactic food products and breast milk substitutes.