4) Energy and Protein Requirements for Adults Flashcards
Define the EER.
The average dietary energy intake that will maintain energy balance in a healthy person of a given gender, age, weight, height, and physical activity level, consistent with good health
What does EER stand for?
Estimated energy requirement
How does the EER fluctuate with growth, pregnancy, and lactation?
The EER takes into account the energy content of new body constituents
What criteria do energy recommendations depend on?
That the individual’s body weight is within the healthy range and in energy balance
In a weight-stable individual, what must the energy intake be equal to?
The TEE
What does TEE stand for?
Total Energy Expenditure
Define the BMR.
- The minimal amount of energy expenditure compatible with life
- Energy needed to maintain body function at rest (e.g. breathing, temperature control, cell growth)
What does BMR stand for? What is an equivalent term?
- Basal Metabolic Rate
- BEE (Basal Energy Expenditure)
How is the BMR measured?
In the supine position under standard conditions of rest, fasting, immobility, thermoneutrality, and mental relaxation
How is the BMR/BEE expressed?
Kilocalories per hour
Define the TEE.
The energy spent, on average, in a 24-hour period by an individual or a group of individuals
Does the TEE represent the quantity of energy spent per day?
- The TEE reflects the AVERAGE amount of energy spent in a typical day
- Does NOT represent the exact quantity of energy spent each and every day
What ratio is used to calculate PAL?
The ratio of TEE/BMR
What does PAL stand for?
Physical activity level
In adult men, non-pregnant women, and non-lactating women, what equation can derive the TEE?
TEE = BMR x PAL
What recommended PAL provides certain health benefits, but not enough to maintain a healthy body weight?
A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week
What recommended PAL prevents weight gain and provides additional health benefits?
60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per day (for both adults and children)
What does moderate intensity physical activity include?
- Walking at a pace of 4 mph
- Gardening
- Light housekeeping
In terms of numbers, what is the recommended PAL?
1.6 to 1.7
What do the PAL categories depend on?
The reference weight of the individual
How does the number of miles walked per day to reach the same PAL category differ between a light-weight individual and a middle-weight individual? Why?
- Light-weight individuals need to walk more miles per day than middle-weight individuals
- Because middle-weight individuals burn more energy due to the greater amount of weight that they are carrying
What is PAL converted to in order to calculate an individual’s energy requirements?
PAL is converted to physical activity coefficients (PA), using reference tables
Are physical activity coefficients lower or higher than PALs?
PAs are always lower than PALs (except if the physical activity is sedentary, in which case they are both 1.00)
What parameters do EER equations include?
- Age
- Physical activity coefficient
- Weight
- Height
Which unit system does the EER equation utilize?
The metric system
Is there an RDA for for energy? Why or why not?
There is no RDA for energy, as any excess of energy intake results in weight gain
How were EER equations derived?
- Data and studies gathered on total energy expenditure
- Measured using the doubly labeled water technique
How do you convert feet to meters?
Meters = Feet/3.28
How do you convert inches to meters?
Meters = Inches/39.4
How do you convert pounds to kilograms?
Kilograms = Pounds/2.2
What does AMDR stand for?
Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges
Define the AMDR.
The range of intake for macronutrients that are associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease, while providing an adequate intake of essential nutrients and energy
What are the AMDRs for carbohydrates, fat, and protein?
- Carbohydrates: 45 to 65%
- Fat: 20 to 35%
- Protein: 10 to 35%
What indicator is used to estimate the requirements (RDA) for protein?
Nitrogen balance
What indicator is used to estimate the requirements (AI) for linoleic acid?
Median intake of linoleic acid in a healthy population
What indicator is used to estimate the requirements (AI) for a-linolenic acid?
Median intake of a-linolenic acid in a healthy population
What indicator is used to estimate the requirements (RDA) for carbohydrates?
Minimum amount of glucose required by the brain without depending on fat or protein as an alternative source
What indicator is used to estimate the requirements (AI) for dietary fiber?
Median intake observed to achieve the lowest risk of coronary artery disease
Define essential (indispensable) amino acids.
- Either cannot be made by the body or cannot be made in sufficient quantity to meet its needs
- The carbon skeleton of these amino acids may not be synthesized from simpler molecules, requiring their ingestion through the diet
Define non-essential (dispensable) amino acids.
Amino acids that may be synthesized by the body from other amino acids or complex metabolites, containing nitrogen
Define conditionally indispensable amino acids.
- Synthesized from other precursors under normal conditions
- But, their synthesis may be limited under certain circumstances (e.g. pregnancy, disease, infancy)
What amino acids may a newborn synthesize?
- Alanine
- Aspartate
- Asparagine
- Glutamate
- Serine
To synthesize amino acids, what molecule is required?
a-amino nitrogen
What amino acids are required to synthesize a-amino nitrogen?
- Aspartate
- Glutamine
- Glutamate
Define protein turnover.
The continual degradation and re-synthesis of protein
What sources contribute to the free amino acid pool?
- Dietary intake
- De novo synthesis of dispensable amino acids
What pathways degrade amino acids from the free amino acid pool?
- Excretion
- Oxidation
- Non-protein pathways
Which age group possesses the highest daily amount of protein turnover? Which age group possesses the lowest?
- Highest, on a body weight basis, in newborns
- Lowest in the elderly
Which organs contribute the most to protein turnover? Which structure contributes the least?
- The liver and intestine contribute the most
- Skeletal muscle contributes the least
Which structure contains the highest amount of total body protein?
Skeletal muscle
How are Protein Quality Control Scores expressed?
mg of the amino acid per gram of protein
What is the function of the Protein Quality Control Scoring Pattern?
To evaluate the quality of the protein source by determining the relative amounts of its amino acids
What are Protein Quality Control Scores based on?
The protein-digestibility corrected amino acid score
What is the protein-digestibility corrected amino acid score?
- Compares the amino acids in a test protein to a reference protein (e.g. egg = 1.00)
- The score is then multiplied by the true digestibility percentage
What age group cannot apply the Protein Quality Control Scores?
Infants below the age of 1
What age group does not utilize nitrogen balance to determine protein requirements? What is used instead?
- Infants aged 0 to 6 months
- The AI for protein in infants aged 0 to 6 months is based on the average consumption of protein from human milk
Define nitrogen balance.
The different between nitrogen intake, and nitrogen excretion in urine, feces, and further losses
What is the RDA for protein?
0.80 g/kg/day
