Biomaterial Database

Energy intake and dietary macronutrient content in women with anorexia nervosa and volunteers. 1989

H E Gwirtsman, and W H Kaye, and S R Curtis, and L M Lyter

School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.

This study was designed to compare the dietary intakes of patients with anorexia nervosa and normal controls. Twenty-four patients hospitalized for treatment of anorexia nervosa were compared with 10 normal controls. Patients ate a self-selected diet and maintained their admission weight to within 1.0 kg during this period (19 +/- 3 days). Food chosen by each subject was weighed before and after meals, and intake was determined to be the difference. Intakes of food energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate were calculated. Patients were closely monitored to ensure that no disposal of food occurred. Patients with anorexia nervosa had a mean daily energy intake of 1,017 +/- 54 kcal (mean +/- SEM), significantly lower than the mean energy intake for controls (1,651 +/- 108 kcal). Similarly, mean intakes of macronutrients (41 +/- 4 gm protein, 34 +/- 2 gm fat, and 136 +/- 9 gm carbohydrate) were significantly lower for patients than for controls (68.5 +/- gm protein, 65 +/- 6 gm fat, and 204 +/- 13 gm carbohydrate). However, when protein, fat, and carbohydrate were assessed as a percent of total calories, there were no significant differences between patients and controls. There were also no significant differences in calories consumed per kilogram body weight. Underweight patients with anorexia nervosa who maintain their weight on an unrestricted hospital diet have energy intake per kilogram body weight and dietary macronutrient content indistinguishable from those of normal women.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D002149	Energy Intake	Total number of calories taken in daily whether ingested or by parenteral routes.	Caloric Intake,Calorie Intake,Intake, Calorie,Intake, Energy
D004040	Dietary Carbohydrates	Carbohydrates present in food comprising digestible sugars and starches and indigestible cellulose and other dietary fibers. The former are the major source of energy. The sugars are in beet and cane sugar, fruits, honey, sweet corn, corn syrup, milk and milk products, etc.; the starches are in cereal grains, legumes (FABACEAE), tubers, etc. (From Claudio & Lagua, Nutrition and Diet Therapy Dictionary, 3d ed, p32, p277)	Carbohydrates, Dietary,Carbohydrate, Dietary,Dietary Carbohydrate
D004041	Dietary Fats	Fats present in food, especially in animal products such as meat, meat products, butter, ghee. They are present in lower amounts in nuts, seeds, and avocados.	Fats, Dietary,Dietary Fat,Fat, Dietary
D004044	Dietary Proteins	Proteins obtained from foods. They are the main source of the ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS.	Proteins, Dietary,Dietary Protein,Protein, Dietary
D005260	Female		Females
D006760	Hospitalization	The confinement of a patient in a hospital.	Hospitalizations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000856	Anorexia Nervosa	An eating disorder that is characterized by the lack or loss of APPETITE, known as ANOREXIA. Other features include excess fear of becoming OVERWEIGHT; BODY IMAGE disturbance; significant WEIGHT LOSS; refusal to maintain minimal normal weight; and AMENORRHEA. This disorder occurs most frequently in adolescent females. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 1994)	Anorexia Nervosas,Nervosa, Anorexia,Nervosas, Anorexia