Theory about interrelationships between macromineral nutrients and growth rate during recovery from undernutrition

Previous papers of our group have reported that, in the first stages of nutritional recovery, the needs of undernourished infants, in terms of Protein Calories percentage (P%) were higher than normal, and similar to those of other mammals which double their birth weight faster than man. During this period, a high dietary P% produces an accelerated catch-up growth. Therefore, Calcium and Phosphorus balances increase proportionally to weight gain rate (WGR), and Calcium retention per gram of new tissue is dependent on dietary Calcium/Protein ratio. On the other hand, Bernhart demonstrated that there was a direct correlation between the growth rate of the sucklings of several species, including humans, and the percentage of protein and ash in the fluid milk. As a consequence of these facts, we assume that during catch-up growth, in order to attain a normal body composition, dietary level of essential minerals must be related to factors affecting weight gain. These relationships suggest the hypothesis that, during the recovery from undernutrition, in order to meet the needs of the catch-up growth allowed by the Protein/Calories ratio, Calcium and Phosphorus milk concentrations would be in relation to the Protein/Calorie concentration. In this way, Calcium and Phosphorus concentrations might be the limiting factors for attaining a normal body composition. This hypothesis might also be generalized to other minerals in order to prevent them from becoming the limiting factors for attaining a normal body composition.