Table 4.
Comparison of available protein for digestion in Malawian children aged 6–36 months with the addition of breastmilk.
| Outcome | 6–12 Months (n = 172) | 12–36 Months (n = 183) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masenjere (n = 87) | Limera (n = 85) | p Value | Masenjere (n = 91) | Limera (n = 92) | p Value | |
| Total protein (g/day) | 21.9 ± 8.7 | 24.3 ± 8.2 | 0.034 | 34.6 ± 13.1 | 37.1 ± 12.4 | 0.065 |
| Bioavailable protein (g/day) 1 | 15.7 ± 5.8 | 16.7 ± 6.1 | 0.096 | 23.1 ± 8.1 | 26.0 ± 10.3 | 0.018 |
| Recommended levels of intake (g/day) 2 | 11 | 11 | na | 13 | 13 | na |
| % that met protein RDA | 80.5 | 89.4 | 0.051 | 94.5 | 96.7 | 0.231 |
1 Bioavailable protein = PDCAAS X total protein. 2 Recommended levels of intake based on the WHO dietary reference intakes adopted from Borrensen et al. [28]. na = not applicable.