VIII. Numerical Data For Calculating The Degree Of Undernutrition - Fasting and Undernutrition

The method of calculating the "Maintenance diet" (Erhaltungskost), has been described above. Whenever the total food intake, expressed in calories, remains below the calculated caloric requirement, then we speak of undernutrition.

The following numerical data are utilized to calculate the caloric value of the diet. Reference will be had to these figures in subsequent lectures :

We calculate the maintenance diet (provided there is no pronounced oedema), as follows (see also above):

In practice the calculation of the caloric value of the diet will not rest upon the caloric value of the basic ingredients of the food, i. e., its proteid, carbohydrate and fat, but rather upon the caloric value of the different articles of food ; numerous tables giving this information have been published. For milk, cheese, butter, meat, eggs, fruit, bread and other bakery goods, raw vegetables, uncooked cereals and legumes these tables (aside, it is true, from certain sources of error), are useful and sufficiently reliable. In so far, however, as the amount of energy (caloric value) incorporated in prepared vegetables, soups, dishes made from flour, puddings, etc., is to a very great extent dependent upon their mode of preparation (consistency, sweetening, amount of fat) serious errors may creep in if too much reliance is placed upon average values as given for different articles in such tables. In all such cases the proportion of basic materials (proteids, carbohydrates, fats) must be known and included in the calculation. For instance, a cup of oatmeal gruel (250 ccm) prepared from:

We speak of a slight degree of undernutrition if there remains a difference up to 20% between the maintenance diet (calculated caloric requirement) and the actually introduced food; of a medium degree of undernutrition if the deficit lies between 20 and 40%; of a high degree if the deficit lies between 40 and 60%; of a severe degree of undernutrition if the deficit exceeds 60%. Calculated for a man weighing 70 kg and resting in bed (see example above) this would give:

IX Composition And Caloric Value Of Important Articles Of Food