[A new cow's milk formula to Complementary Feeding National Program: nitrogen and caloric balance]

Nitrogen, fat and energy retention were measured in 10 male infants (mean age = 6.8 mo) recovering from marasmic malnutrition while they were fed with either cow's milk based formula (LP) or a modified cow's milk formula (LPM). Their mean weight for age ratio was 72% and their weight for length ratio was 95% (NCHS standards). They went through two consecutive balance periods of 6 days each (3 d. for adaptation and 3 d. for urine and feces collection) beginning with either formula randomly. Both formulas had 85 kcal/dl with 11% protein calories in LPM and 13% in LP. Energy intake, absorption and relative retention were slightly greater with LPM than LP. Fat intake was greater under LPM than LP (5.4 vs. 4.5 g-kg-d, p < 0.025), which resulted in significant differences in fat absorption (LPM 4.3 vs. LP 3 g-kg-d, p < 0.025). Nitrogen intake was significantly lower under LPM than LP (487 vs. 571 mg-kg-d, p < 0.025) with lower urinary nitrogen excretion for LPM than for LP (304 vs. 417 mg-kg-d, p < 0.001). Apparent nitrogen retention averaged 115 mg-kg-d for LPM and only 69 mg-kg-d for LP (NS). A significant correlation was observed between nitrogen intake and nitrogen retention: r = 0.70 (y = 0.57x -167; p < 0.05) with LPM, and r = 0.77 (y = 0.63x -291, p < 0.01) with LP. A correlation was also found between energy intake and weight gain: r = 0.55 (NS) with LPM, and r = 0.88 (y = 0.26x -26; p < 0.001) with LP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)