Protein quality malnutrition

Protein quality refers to the evaluation of a food or a diet based on its amino acid composition, protein digestibility, and protein bioavailability. When these parameters are specified, either through direct measurement or estimation, the amino acids provided by the diet are compared to those requi...

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Main Authors: Mark J. Manary, Donna R. Wegner, Kenneth Maleta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Nutrition
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1428810/full
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author Mark J. Manary
Mark J. Manary
Donna R. Wegner
Kenneth Maleta
author_facet Mark J. Manary
Mark J. Manary
Donna R. Wegner
Kenneth Maleta
author_sort Mark J. Manary
collection DOAJ
description Protein quality refers to the evaluation of a food or a diet based on its amino acid composition, protein digestibility, and protein bioavailability. When these parameters are specified, either through direct measurement or estimation, the amino acids provided by the diet are compared to those required by a healthy individual, and based on this comparison, an adequacy ratio or score is assigned. Two widely used protein quality scoring systems are the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) and the digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS), neither of which account for the dietary source of the protein. In malnourished children, metabolic adaptations reduce the endogenous availability of amino acids and increase the demand for protein synthesis. These increased amino acid requirements are primarily driven by the presence of acute infection and the need for tissue accretion. This review examines two large clinical feeding trials involving moderately malnourished children, where dietary protein quality was carefully measured. The finding s suggest that protein quality scores alone do not reliably predict weight gain or recovery in these children and that consuming milk protein provides distinct advantages over vegetable-based proteins.
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spelling doaj-art-3a065bca12dd4c8db4323a6ca8cea1de2025-08-20T02:09:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2024-10-011110.3389/fnut.2024.14288101428810Protein quality malnutritionMark J. Manary0Mark J. Manary1Donna R. Wegner2Kenneth Maleta3Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United StatesChildren’s Nutrition Research Center, USDA, Houston, TX, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United StatesDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Global and Public Health, Blantyre, MalawiProtein quality refers to the evaluation of a food or a diet based on its amino acid composition, protein digestibility, and protein bioavailability. When these parameters are specified, either through direct measurement or estimation, the amino acids provided by the diet are compared to those required by a healthy individual, and based on this comparison, an adequacy ratio or score is assigned. Two widely used protein quality scoring systems are the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) and the digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS), neither of which account for the dietary source of the protein. In malnourished children, metabolic adaptations reduce the endogenous availability of amino acids and increase the demand for protein synthesis. These increased amino acid requirements are primarily driven by the presence of acute infection and the need for tissue accretion. This review examines two large clinical feeding trials involving moderately malnourished children, where dietary protein quality was carefully measured. The finding s suggest that protein quality scores alone do not reliably predict weight gain or recovery in these children and that consuming milk protein provides distinct advantages over vegetable-based proteins.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1428810/fullprotein qualityprotein metabolismmalnutritionPDCAASDIAAS
spellingShingle Mark J. Manary
Mark J. Manary
Donna R. Wegner
Kenneth Maleta
Protein quality malnutrition
Frontiers in Nutrition
protein quality
protein metabolism
malnutrition
PDCAAS
DIAAS
title Protein quality malnutrition
title_full Protein quality malnutrition
title_fullStr Protein quality malnutrition
title_full_unstemmed Protein quality malnutrition
title_short Protein quality malnutrition
title_sort protein quality malnutrition
topic protein quality
protein metabolism
malnutrition
PDCAAS
DIAAS
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1428810/full
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