The Journal of Nutrition Nutrient Requirements and Optimal Nutrition Lysine Requirements of Moderately Undernourished School-Aged Indian Children Are Reduced by Treatment for Intestinal Parasites as Measured by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique

Background: Lysine requirements of well-nourished children from developing regions have been found to be similar to those of children from developed regions (33.5 mg kg d). However, intestinal parasites have been shown to increase lysine requirements in undernourished adults, and it is not known if a similar phenomenon occurs in undernourished children from poor and unsanitary environments. Objective: Our objective was to measure the lysine requirement of moderately undernourished school-aged Indian children by the indicator amino acid oxidation technique before and after successful treatment for intestinal parasites. Methods: Twenty-one undernourished school-aged children (;8 y of age) with z scores between 22 SD and 23 SD for height-for-age or weight-for-age, who tested positive for intestinal parasites, were studied before and after successful antiparasite treatment. Childrenwere fed any 2 of 7 levels of lysine intakes (5, 15, 25, 35, 50, 65, and 80mg kg d) in random order. The lysine requirement was determined by applying a 2-phase linear regression crossover analysis on the fractional oxidation rate of the tracer L-[1-C] phenylalanine in response to the graded lysine intakes. Results: The lysine requirement of undernourished children with intestinal parasite infestations was determined to be 42.8 mg kg d (95% CI: 32.6, 53.1 mg kg d), and after successful antiparasitic treatment it was determined to be 35.5mg kg d (95%CI: 25.5, 45.5mg kg d). The results were significantly different (P< 0.05), although the 95%CIs