EFFECT OF AN ELEMENTAL DIET ON BODY-COMPOSITION - COMPARISON WITH INTRAVENOUS NUTRITION

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 77  (4) , 652-657
Abstract
Changes in body fat, protein and water were measured in 2 comparable groups of 14 ill surgical patients for 2 wk during which 1 group received an elemental diet (nonprotein energy source was 67% carbohydrate and 33% fat) and the other a course of i.v. nutrition (nonprotein energy source was 100% carbohydrate). The patients fed with the elemental diet had no significant changes in body weight, fat, protein, water or plasma proteins over the study period. The patients fed i.v. had no changes in body protein or plasma proteins but there was an average gain of 3.2 kg body weight. This weight gain was mainly extracellular water. The administration of the elemental diet by continuous infusion was apparently comparable to i.v. nutrition in maintaining body protein in these very ill patients and was cheaper and easier to manage. The problem of extracellular water accumulation seen in the patients fed i.v. was not present in the patients who received the elemental diet.