Question

Protein requirements for adult moderate active women is ___________ g/kg body weight/day.

• A. 1.0
• B. 0.95
• C. 0.86
• D. 0.83

Hint:

Under the ICMR-NIN 2020 guidelines, remember the magic number 0.83 for adult protein requirements. It is uniform for both men and women across sedentary, moderate, and heavy activity levels.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Dietary standards and Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) specify the quantity of nutrients required daily to maintain health in specific population groups.
In India, these guidelines are periodically updated and published by the Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN).

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
According to the ICMR-NIN (2020) dietary guidelines, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein in adults is standardized based on body weight.
- For both adult men and women, regardless of their physical activity level (sedentary, moderate, or heavy), the recommended protein intake is set at 0.83 g per kilogram of body weight per day.
- This value is calculated to meet the physiological amino acid requirements for tissue maintenance, metabolic turnover, and nitrogen balance, while accounting for the average digestibility of a mixed Indian vegetarian/non-vegetarian diet.
- For a standard adult woman weighing 55 kg, this translates to an absolute requirement of approximately 46 grams of high-quality protein per day.
- Other options like 1.0 g/kg/day or 0.95 g/kg/day represent older recommendations or specific therapeutic guidelines for recovery, but 0.83 g/kg/day is the official ICMR-NIN 2020 standard.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The daily protein requirement for an adult moderately active woman is 0.83 g/kg body weight/day.