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The preceding commentary and research papers were available to the FAO/WHO/UNU Consultation on Protein-Energy Requirements held in Rome, 5 17 October 1981. This meeting made use of these and other data available since the last meeting of the FAD/WHO Expert Group on Energy and Protein Requirements in 1971 to arrive at new recommendations for protein and energy requirements. Its report, uses much of the data presented in this monograph to re-estimate the average amount of protein required for nitrogen balance in adults and the coefficient of variation with which to calculate a safe allowance.
The resulting value of 0.75 gm of high-quality protein per kilogram to cover the needs of nearly all normal adults is about one-third higher than that proposed in the report of the FAD/WHO group published in 1973. (Energy and Protein Requirements: Report of a Joint FAD/WHO Ad Hoc Expert Committee, WHO Technical Report Series 522.) Smaller increases in the protein allowances for children are proposed. As the papers and commentary in this volume suggest, differences in the amount of protein from various kinds of diets needed for nitrogen balance are assumed in the new report to be relatively small and due largely to differences in digestibility. More emphasis than previously is given to the effects of acute and chronic infections on the nutrient requirements of individuals, particularly for the period of recovery and catch-up growth after acute infections,
The rationale for these judgements is given in the new report. This publication is likely to provide the definitive international recommendations for protein and energy requirements for the next decade. it will be a welcome and appropriate sequel to the present monograph.