The use of body composition to assess nutritional therapy /

Body composition studies (BC) by a multiple isotope dilution technique were performed for studying nutritional parameters and nutritional support. A group of anthropometric, biochemical and immunological parameters were measured and the data indicated that these parameters were valid measures of the nutritional state for epidemiological studies; but, of little value in assessing the individual's nutritional state. Of 44 morbidly obese patients undergoing jejunoileal bypass, 33 patients lost only body fat. Eleven patients lost both body fat and body cell mass (BCM) thus developing protein malnutrition. Six of these malnourished patients had abnormal liver function tests (LFT), and both the BC and the LFT improved when calorie free amino acids were infused. BC studies were performed on TPN patients receiving one of four solutions. To evaluate the effect of these solutions on the daily repletion of the BCM a multiple linear regression was used. The regression indicated that the repletion of the depleted BCM was related to the lipid (p < .01) and carbohydrate (p < .001) infused, and the nutritional state (p < .001). Carbohydrate was more efficient than lipid, in repleting the BCM, and increasing protein above 1.26 gm/kg/day had no benefit