Effect of nutrition improvement project on morbidity from infectious diseases in preschool children in Vietnam: comparison with control commune

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the effect of a nutrition improvement project based on home garden production and nutrition education on morbidity from acute respiratory infection and diarrhoeal disease in preschool children. Design: The morbidity survey comprised five data collections undertaken by trained interviewers to ascertain the incidence and severity of respiratory infections and the incidence of diarrhoeal disease in children in two communes. Setting: A project commune and a control commune in Vietnam. Subjects: Preschool children to 6 years of age living in the project commune Khai Xuan (average 469 children) and the control commune Ching Cong (average 251 children). Main outcome measures: Differences between the two communes over time in the incidence and severity of respiratory infections and the incidence of diarrhoeal disease. Results: In Khai Xuan there was a significant reduction (P