Abstract

FERRARI, Mariela A et al. Changes in organic reserves following food suggestions in students of nutrition (bachelor) from the university of Bs. As. Diaeta [online]. 2012, vol.30, n.140, pp.7-10. ISSN 1852-7337.

Introduction: the assessment of nutritional status as an indicator of health allows the identification of risk groups, either due to deficit or excess reserves, and it is accepted that these factors increase the morbimortality as a result of associated diseases. This reality also afects the university population. In the United States, overweight and obesity are frequent and associated with a family history of obesity, while in our setting overweight and obesity do not exceed the 12%. An investigation conducted in the career of Nutrition (Bachelor) from the University of Buenos Aires in 2005 showed a high incidence of decreased protein reserves (31%). Objective: to assess the changes achieved in the organic reserves following food suggestions. Materials and Methods: of the total of students assessed (n=120), the ones selected were those with reserve protein (RP) decreased (n=60) and with caloric reserves (RC) increased (n=14), applying the Anthropometric Fractionation Method proposed by Drinkwater and Ross. A nutritional therapy was suggested in order to correct the disturbance found. After an year, both reserves were assessed again. To describe the changes of the RP, the Z test for paired samples was used and the Wilcoxon Test was used for RC. Results: The results showed significant diferences (p=0.0155;a=0.05) between the frst measurement of RP (2.00 ± 0.12) and the one that followed (2.05 ± 0.19). With respect to the RC significant diferences were observed (p=0.030;a=0.05) between the first measurement (1.83 ± 0.40) and the one that followed (1.61 ± 0.44). Conclusions: The incidence of overweight and obesity was 11.6%. After the dietary suggestions, the 64.2% reduced such reserve, obtaining a diagnosis of normality. However, the high incidence of students who had RP decreased (50% of total measured) should be noted. Of these, 30% aggravated malnutrition in the study period, despite the dietary guidelines suggested.

Keywords : Anthropometric Fractionation; Organic Reserves; University Students.

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