RobertB. Bradfield

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIFIC DYNAMIC ACTION IN WEIGHT-REDUCTION DIETS

Abstract The effect of varying the protein and calorie content of weight-reducing diets upon specific dynamic action (S.D.A.) was studied in 4 obese women in a metabolic facility. The subjects consumed the identical liquid diet for 10 days prior to each measurement to avoid liver-enzyme and gut-flora response to changes in diet. The dose was half the total daily dietary intake, and was consumed within 15 minutes. S.D.A. was measured as the increase in oxygen consumption over basal for a 5-hour period after the test meal, at bed rest. No significant differences in oxygen consumption were apparent between isocaloric dosages containing either 40 g. protein or no protein, nor between isoprotein dosages of varying calorie content. There was considerable variation in basal metabolic rate and S.D.A. measurements, both individual and between subjects. The non-specific response was similar in magnitude to measurements previously made with normal-weight individuals fed similar dosages in the same metabolic facility. In terms of the clinical treatment of obesity, there is no advantage in selecting a high-protein diet with the expectation of obtaining an increase in the caloric costs of digestion and assimilation and hence a lower net-calorie value for the diet. Nor is there reason to believe that the S.D.A. of obese persons differs from that of normal-weight individuals.

HAIR-ROOT ADAPTATION TO MARASMUS IN ANDEAN INDIAN CHILDREN

Abstract The morphological characteristics of hair-roots from 15 children with classical marasmus were compared with those in 13 normal children of the same age and ethnic group. In addition to the morphological changes found in marasmus, there was a striking shift to the telogen (resting) phase of hair-growth. This difference in hair-root adaptation between marasmus and kwashiorkor is believed to be more closely related to relative chronicity than to differences in dietary protein-calorie density.