Human Nutrition 3(3+0)

Lesson 3 : Recommended Dietary Allowances for Nutrients

Proteins

Protein intake to maintain N equilibrium in adults and a positive N balance in children to provide for growth are used as criteria for estimating protein requirements. The protein requirements vary with the net protein utilization (NPU) of the dietary proteins. If the NPU is low, the requirements are high and if the NPU is high, the requirements are low. Recommended protein intakes for Indians in terms of proteins present in cereal – legume – based habitual diets has an NPU of 65. During pregnancy and lactation, additional proteins are required for the synthesis of foetal tissue proteins and milk proteins respectively.

The suggested level of protein intake in terms of protein energy ratio varies from 7% in case of pre-school children to 12% in case of adolescents. Another important point about the recommended protein intake is that they are valid only when energy intakes are adequate.

Equilibrium: In nutritional terms, a state where nutrient intake equals nutrient losses. This allows the body to maintain a stable condition.

Figure: Nutrient balance using protein as an example. This concept of balance can be applied to all nutrients.

The daily protein requirements of Indians of various age groups as recommended by the Nutrition Expert Group ICMR is given Table

Table 2: RDA for Protein

Group	Protein(g/d)
Adult man Adult woman	60 55
Pregnant woman Lactating woman 0-6 months 6-12 months	82.2 77.9 70.2
Infants: 0 -6 months 6- 12 months	1.16 g/kg/d 1.69 g/kg/f
Children: 1-3 years 4- 6 years 7-9 years	16.7 20.1 29.5
Adolescents: 10-12 years Boys Girls 13-15 years Boys Girls 16-17 years Boys Girls	39.9 40.4 54.3 51.9 61.5 55.5

Ref: Nutrition Expert group, ICMR(2010)