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Comparison of Two Commercial Low Residue Diets and a Low Residue Diet of Common Foods
Author(s) -
Bondy Rose A.,
Beyer Peter L.,
Rhodes James B.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/014860717900300404
Subject(s) - feces , defecation , nitrogen balance , medicine , urine , food science , zoology , body weight , biology , nitrogen , chemistry , ecology , organic chemistry
Utilizing a cross‐over design two defined formula diets and a low residue diet of common foods were compared in 8 normal healthy subjects. Effectiveness was determined by objective measures of frequency of defecation, stool weight, changes in body weight; fecal fat, moisture and ash; nitrogen balance; and subjective descriptions of bowel movements, physical symptoms, and acceptability. The only statistically significant differences observed were in urine nitrogen, fecal ash, and subjective descriptions of bowel habits. Daily fecal weight ranged from 42 g (SD ± 12) with Diet 1 to 57 g (SD ± 22) with Diet 2. The range for stool frequency was 0.61 stools/day for Diet 1 to 0.76 stools/day for Diet 2. The common foods diet (Diet 3) was the only test diet which maintained subjects in positive nitrogen balance at maintenance caloric levels. The fecal ash value was highest when subjects were maintained on Diet 2 and lowest while on Diet 3. Stools resulting from defined formula diets were watery to mushy in nature, whereas, subjects' stools when consuming common foods diet were hard formed. While consuming the defined formula diets, subjects tended to experience more side effects and complained more about unpalatability of the diets. Subjects ranked the common foods diet as being most acceptable and the amino acid‐based diet least acceptable. While no one test diet proved superior in all parameters, the data indicate that at least in normal healthy subjects a low residue diet of common foods is equally efficacious.