Protein-Energy Nutritional Status of Moderately Low Protein Intake-Sago Diets Compared to Sufficiently Protein Intake-Rice Diets in Well-Nourished Lowlanders in Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Protein inadequacy is prevalent in developing countries because of the high consumption of starchy staple foods. Sago, as a staple food in Papua Province, was eaten with less protein. This study aimed to analyze the nutritional status of protein-energy in well-nourished adults of the moderately low protein in-take (MLP)-sago group compared to the sufficient protein intake (SP)-rice group, in lowland Mimika, Papua. Methods: This cross-sectional-analytic study was conducted on 50 participants. Twenty-four-hour food recall, body composition, albumin, and complete blood count were used to assess the nutritional status. Results: There were no differences in the body compositions and albumin levels between the MLP-sago and SP-rice groups. Multivariate linear regression showed that the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (β = -0.524, P = 0.007) was a predictive factor for albumin in the sago group, while in the rice group, hemoglobin (β = 0.354 P = 0.089) and white blood cell counts (β = 0.396, P = 0.059) were predictive factors. Conclusions: The MLP-sago and SP-rice groups exhibited no differences in the  body and visceral protein; however different predictors of albumin were found be- tween the groups, suggesting an adaptive mechanism in the MLP-sago group to  maintain normal albumin levels.