A 46-year-old obese man is referred to a dietitian for evaluation of his food intake. He has been trying to lose weight but has been unsuccessful. The patient is 172.7 cm (5 ft 8 in) tall and weighs 113 kg (250 lb). Analysis of his food intake shows that he is consuming 3600 Calories a day. The dietitian recommends increasing physical activity and implementing a dietary plan. In the first phase, the patient is advised to reduce his daily dietary intake to 3,000 Calories, with 30% coming from protein. How much protein per day will this patient consume on the new dietary plan?

Question

A 46-year-old obese man is referred to a dietitian for evaluation of his food intake.  He has been trying to lose weight but has been unsuccessful.  The patient is 172.7 cm (5 ft 8 in) tall and weighs 113 kg (250 lb).  Analysis of his food intake shows that he is consuming 3600 Calories a day.  The dietitian recommends increasing physical activity and implementing a dietary plan.  In the first phase, the patient is advised to reduce his daily dietary intake to 3,000 Calories, with 30% coming from protein.  How much protein per day will this patient consume on the new dietary plan?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dietary energy comes predominantly from protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Metabolism yields 4 Calories (Cal) per gram of protein or carbohydrate and 9 Cal per gram of fat. Ethanol yields 7 Cal per gram. This patient is instructed to consume 3000 Cal per day, 900 (30%) of which are to be from protein. Because 1 g of protein yields 4 Cal of energy, this patient should consume (900 Cal /4 Cal) = 225 g/day of protein. Educational objective: Metabolism of 1 g of protein or carbohydrate produces 4 Calories of energy; metabolism of 1 g of fat produces 9 Calories.

A 46-Year-Old Obese Man Is Referred to a Dietitian for Evaluation