Udomsak Mahaweerawat

Influence of dietary intake on alpha-2-macroglobulin and other biochemical parameters in healthy thai males

Abstract In a 24 hour recall survey the dietary intake of protein, fat and carbohydrate of 30 healthy Thai males was investigated. Total energy intake was measured to be between 3000 to 4000 kcal/day. Eighty percent of the energy intake was in the form of carbohydrate. Less than 10% of energy was attributed to fat and between 10% to 12% to protein. Dietary intake did not correlate to weight and the Quetelet index (kg/m 2 ), but protein and fat significantly determined the variation of the proteinase inhibitor α 2 -macroglobulin (α 2 M) in blood. α 2 M in turn significantly correlated with weight, the Quetelet index and albumin. Weight correlated significantly with cholesterol. The variation of α 2 M and cholesterol was age dependent. The results suggest that α 2 M may be part of a central mechanism which has an influence on the nutritional status.