Relationship between the nutritional efficacy of a rice and bean diet and energy intake in preschool children

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Abstract
Nitrogen balance and urea excretion were measured in a group of 4- to 6-year-old children receiving a rice and bean diet providing 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day and three levels of calories. With diets providing 2300 and 3000 kcal/day, nitrogen retention was 41.19 ± 29.04 and 53.30 ± 18.46 mg/kg of body weight per day, respectively. With 1400 kcal/ day, diet nitrogen retention decreased to 25.38 ± 13.88 mg/kg body weight and urea nitrogen excretion increased. The importance of adequate caloric intake for optimum utilization of dietary protein from a rice and bean diet for growing children is demonstrated.