Protein-Energy Requirements of Developing Countries: Evaluation of New Data (UNU, 1981, 268 p.): Obligatory and integumental nitrogen losses - children: Obligatory nitrogen losses and factorial calculations of protein requirements of pre-school children: Summary of the main results

Protein-Energy Requirements of Developing Countries: Evaluation of New Data (UNU, 1981, 268 p.)

Obligatory and integumental nitrogen losses - children

Obligatory nitrogen losses and factorial calculations of protein requirements of pre-school children

		(introduction...)
		Objectives
		Experimental details
		Summary of the main results
		Conclusions

Summary of the main results

1. Obligatory Nitrogen Losses
The results are summarized in table 1 and figure 1. The mean and S.D. for the combined data of days five to nine were 34.0 5.3, 19.5 6.9, and 53.7 8.1 mg N/ kg/day for urinary, faecal, and both urinary and faecal nitrogen, respectively.

If the study had been done in only six days and the mean values of days five and six used, the corresponding results would have been 33.2 5.9, 19.9 6.8, and 53.0 7.7 mg N/kg/day for urinary, faecal, and both urinary and faecal nitrogen, respectively.

2. Factorial Calculations
Assuming that integumental nitrogen losses were of the order of 5 mg N/kg/day on a protein-free diet, total obligatory nitrogen losses would be 59 mg/kg/day, or 40 per cent less than the current FAD/WHO estimates. Adding 15 mg N/kg/day for growth of children of the same height-age and multiplying by 1.3, as suggested by FAD/WHO (WHO Tech. Rep. Ser. No. 522, 1973), results in an estimated mean requirement of 96.2 mg N/kg/day, equivalent to 0.60 9 of milk or egg protein/kg/day. This value coincides with the mean requirement of 0.61 g/kg/day calculated by us using multiple-level nitrogen balance techniques (see summary of study by Torabrera Santiago, and Viteri, this volume).