Relationship between the nutritional efficacy of a rice and bean diet and energy intake in preschool children.

Nitrogen balance and urea excretion were measured in a group of 4- to 6-year-old children receiving a rice and bean diet providing 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day and three levels of calories. With diets providing 2300 and 3000 kcal/day, nitrogen retention was 41.16 +/- 29.04 and 53.30 +/- 18.46 mg/kg of body weight per day, respectively. With 1400 kcal/day, diet nitrogen retention decreased to 25.38 +/- 13.88 mg/kg body weight and urea nitrogen excretion increased. The importance of adequate caloric intake for optimum utilization of dietary protein from a rice and bean diet for growing children is demonstrated.