Gadsden State Community College - HEC 140 Case Study 6A: Protein Adequacy Erin is a 28-year-old professional woman who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and vigilantly maintains her weight at 118 pounds by following a lacto-ovo (non-fat milk and egg whites only) vegetarian diet that supplies approximately 1200 calories a day

Gadsden State Community College - HEC 140

Case Study 6A: Protein Adequacy

Erin is a 28-year-old professional woman who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and vigilantly maintains her weight at 118 pounds by following a lacto-ovo (non-fat milk and egg whites only) vegetarian diet that supplies approximately 1200 calories a day. With her understanding that protein should provide between 10 and 35 percent of her daily calories, she reasons that her daily intake of 40 grams of protein from milk, eggs, legumes, and nuts is adequate for her needs. She is concerned, however, that she has been sick more than usual and has experienced two stress fractures in her leg over the past three years while exercising.

1)What is the protein RDA per kilogram of healthy body weight?              

2. Assuming a healthy weight for Erin is 141 pounds, what is her recommended daily protein requirement?

3. Remembering that protein provides 4 kcalories per gram, what percentage of Erin's current total energy intake comes from protein?   

4. What percentage of total energy intake should come from protein?   

5. What can be said about Erin's protein intake? Although it falls within the recommended range in terms of the percentage of total energy intake, it is less than recommended in terms of the absolute amount.

On average, an ounce of a protein food delivers how many grams of protein?

6. Erin loves whole grains. Suppose she makes herself a snack from one serving of grains and one cup yogurt topped with a serving of fresh strawberries. How much protein is in her snack?