The amount of protein required by an Indian adult is Grm protein per kg body wt?

NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2019

Applied Nutrition & Dietetics

Easy

Appeared in: NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2019

Explanation

The generally accepted recommendation for protein intake for a healthy Indian adult is approximately 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day.
This amount is sufficient to meet the body's needs for tissue repair, muscle maintenance, and the production of enzymes and hormones.
While the latest ICMR (2020) guidelines suggest a more precise figure of 0.83 g/kg/day, 1 g/kg remains a standard and practical guideline used in clinical and educational settings, making it the best choice among the given options.

Option A: This amount is below the recommended minimum and is insufficient to prevent negative nitrogen balance, which leads to muscle wasting and impaired physiological functions.
Option C: This is an excessive amount of protein for a general adult population. Such high intake can put a significant strain on the kidneys and liver and may lead to dehydration and other metabolic issues.
Option D: This is an extremely high and potentially dangerous level of protein intake. It far exceeds any physiological need and poses significant health risks, including severe kidney damage and metabolic acidosis.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Protein as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in nutritional screening and patient education. Understanding baseline protein requirements helps in identifying malnutrition and providing appropriate dietary advice for health maintenance and recovery.
Adequate protein intake is critical for post-operative patients and those with wounds (e.g., pressure ulcers) as it provides the necessary building blocks for tissue repair and healing.
What if? - If the patient has chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is not on dialysis, the protein recommendation changes significantly. Protein intake is often restricted to 0.6-0.8 g/kg/day to reduce the workload on the kidneys and slow disease progression.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core question, which asks for the standard daily protein requirement for an Indian adult per kilogram of body weight.
Recall the general nutritional guidelines taught in nursing. The common 'rule of thumb' for protein is 1 gram per kilogram of body weight.
Evaluate the given options against this standard benchmark.
Eliminate the options that are clearly too low (0.5 g/kg), which would cause deficiency, and those that are excessively high (5 and 10 g/kg), which would be harmful.
Select the most plausible and commonly cited option, which is 1 g/kg.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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