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| Supplements 'reduce malaria toll' | Supplements 'reduce malaria toll' |
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| Cheap dietary supplements could protect young children from malaria, research suggests. | Cheap dietary supplements could protect young children from malaria, research suggests. |
| The study, published in the journal Nutrition, found giving children vitamin A and zinc cut incidence of illness by a third. | The study, published in the journal Nutrition, 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Among those children who did catch the illness, those taking supplements were more resistant to the disease and suffered fewer fever episodes. |
| The researchers believe the combined supplements boosted the children's immune system, making them more naturally resistant to malaria. | The researchers 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. | They believe the supplements could be an effective long term strategy to reduce the impact of malaria. |