High Calorie And Low Calorie Diet

High Calorie Diets

High calorie diets are prescribed for patients who are malnourished and underweight. Weight loss also occurs in many diseases such as tuberculosis, hyperthyroidism, prolonged fevers etc.

Nutritional Composition

Calories: Diets should provide about 500 calories in excess of the daily needs. Calories are mostly obtained from fat.

Protein: Proteins intake should be 50% more than the requirements. The proteins should be of high quality and derived mostly from milk and other animal foods.

Vitamin And Minerals: High calorie diets will usually contain adequate amounts of different vitamins and minerals. It is desirable to supplement the diet with multi vitamin-mineral diet.

High Calorie Diet For Adults (g/day)

Calories:3000-4000 kcal; Proteins:80-100 g; Fats:60-80 g; Carbohydrates:400-500 g.

FoodstuffsVegetarianNon-vegetarian
Cereals300-400300-400
Legumes80-10080-100
Milk (cow)1000-1500800-1000
Meat and fish_50
Eggs_30
Nuts100-150100-150
Fats and oils 100100
Sugar and jaggery100100
Fruits200-300200-300
Green leafy vegetables100100
Other vegetables100100

Low Calorie Diets

Low calorie diets are prescribed for obese persons. The aim is to produce calorie deficit in the body which will result in the fat stored in the adipose tissue being used to meet the calorie needs. It has been observed in obese adults that a diet providing about half the requirements of calories for persons leading sedentary life (1100 kcal) will help to reduce the body weight by 1 to 1.5 kg a week. Consumption of diet providing 1300 kcal may help to reduce the body weight by 0.51.0 kg per week. The composition of diets providing 1100, 1300 and 1500 kcal is given:

Low Calorie Diet For Adults (g/day)

FoodstuffDiet
1100 calories
Veg – Non-veg
Diet
1300 calories
Veg – Non-veg
Diet
1500 calories
Veg – Non-veg
Cereals(80) – (80)(100) – (100)(130) – (130)
Legumes(60) – (40)(70) – (50)(80) – (60)
Skim milk powder or(100) – (50)(100) – (50)(100) – (50)
Skim milk fluid(1000) – (500)(1000) – (500)(100) – 500)
Cheese(50) – (_)(50) – (_)(50) – (_)
Meat and fish(_) – (50)(_) – (60)(_) – (70)
Egg(_) – (60)(_) – (80)(_) – (100)
Green leafy vegetables(150) – (150)(150) – (150)(150) – (150)
Other vegetables(200) – (200)(200) – (200)(200) – (200)
Roots and tubers(100)- (100)(100) – (100)(100) – (100)
Fruits (50)- (50)(50) – (50)(50) – (50)
Fats and oils(15)- (15)(20) – (20)(25) – (25)
Cane sugar(15)- (15)(20) – (20)(25) – (25)
Multi vitamin-mineral tablet(1)- (1)(1) – (1)(1) – (1)