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Nitrogen balance studies in apparently healthy elderly people and those who are housebound

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Valda W. Bunker ,
Margaret S. Lawson ,
Maureen F. Stansfield  and
Barbara E. Clayton
Valda W. Bunker
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Pathology and Human Metabolism
Margaret S. Lawson
Affiliation:
Department of Food and Biological Sciences, The Polytechnic of North London N8 7DB
Maureen F. Stansfield
Affiliation:
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Medical Faculty of the University of Southampton, Level D, South Laboratory Block, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO9 4XY
Barbara E. Clayton
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Pathology and Human Metabolism
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Abstract

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1. Metabolic balance studies (5 d) for nitrogen were carried out in twenty-four apparently healthy elderly people (age 69.7–85.6 years) and a heterogeneous group of twenty housebound elderly people (age 69.9–85.1 years) with chronic diseases. During the study all subjects ate self-selected diets, lived in their own homes and continued their normal daily activities. Seven of the housebound received meals-on-wheels 5 d/week.

2. Healthy men and women had mean metabolizable energy intakes of 8.7 and 6.6 MJ/d respectively compared with 6.3 and 4.8 MJ/d in the housebound. The average energy content of the meals-on-wheels as delivered was 2.4 MJ per meal, of which 2.1 MJ were consumed.

3. The healthy men and women had average daily protein intakes of 69.4 and 59.7 g respectively compared with 46.3 and 39.1 g in the housebound. Meals-on-wheels as supplied provided 19.4 g protein per meal, of which 16.2 g were consumed.

4. Healthy subjects were in equilibrium for N balance (0 mmol/d) with a daily intake of 733 mmol, which was equivalent to 11.04 mmol N (0.97 g mixed protein)/kg body-weight per d. Housebound individuals were in negative N balance (–95 mmol/d) with an intake of 475 mmol/d, corresponding to 7.59 mmol N (0.67 g mixed protein)/kg body-weight per d.

5. We were unable to determine in the present study whether the negative N balance observed in the housebound people was due to the relatively low N intake or the underlying disease condition.

Type
Papers of direct relevance to Clinical and Human Nutrition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 57 , Issue 2 , March 1987 , pp. 211 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1987

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