Coping with Natural Disasters: The Role of Local Health Personnel and the Community

( By A Working Guide (WHO - OMS, 1989) )

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Annex 3. Nutrition Recommended daily energy and protein intakes for healthy individuals1

Proteins (g)
Group	Energy in MJ(kcal_th)	Mixed diet with some animal protein	Cereals, possibly with legumes	Approximate proportion of the population in a developing country %
0-1 year	3.4 (820)	14	(breast-feeding, supplemented after 6 mths by weaning foods)	3.0
1-3 years	5.7(1360)	21	27	9.0
4 - 6 years	7.7 (1830)	25	33	8.7
7-9 years	9.2 (2190)	29	37	8.5
10-14 years:
boys	11.7 (2800)	46	58	6.3
girls	10.3 (2450)	40	50	6.2
Male adult (moderately active)	12.6 (3000)	49	62	29.2
Female adult (moderately active)	9.2 (2200)	39	48	26.2
Pregnancy (latter half)	10.7 (2550)	49	63	1.5
Lactation	11.5 (2750)	60	77	1.4

¹Adapted from DE VILLE DEGOYET, C., SEAMAN, J. & GEUER, U., The management of nutritional emergencies in large populations. Geneva, World Health Organization, 1978.

If an adequate energy supply is not provided, some protein will be burnt to provide energy and not used for body growth or repair, i.e. it will be used in the same way as carbohydrate or fat, which are much less expensive.

A part (20-40%) of the energy requirement should be supplied from fats or oils, which greatly enhance the palatability of the diet, diminish its bulk (important for younger children) and reduce transport requirements.

Energy requirements vary widely even in normal individuals. They are also increased by physical activity. For example, a 65-kg man requires daily:

6.3 MJ (1500 kcal) when resting in bed day and night.

11.3 MJ (2700 kcal_th) if lightly active in the daytime (clerk, office worker).

12.6 MJ (3000 kcal_th) if moderately active 8 hours a day.

14.6 MJ (3500 kcal_th) if doing heavy work 8 hours a day (labourer).

Much higher intakes are required for the treatment of malnutrition.

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