DIETARY ANALYSIS OF JAPANESE PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC-PANCREATITIS IN STABLE CONDITIONS

In order to examine the malnutritional condition of outpatients with p ancreatitis, a dietary investigation was conducted in Japanese patient s with chronic pancreatitis (n = 38) and healthy subjects (n = 35) of the same age for 3-7 consecutive days, and the characteristics of thei r food intake were examined. The patients with pancreatitis took in le ss calories, fat, carbohydrate, and protein than the healthy subjects, by 900 kcal, 20 g, 150 g, and 20 g, respectively. On the other hand, the fat energy ratio in the patients was 20%, similar to that in the h ealthy subjects. Also, when the fat intake was classified according to origin, i.e., animal, marine, or plant, the proportions for animal (g ) and plant (g) were low, while marine fat accounted for a significant ly higher percentage than in the healthy subjects. The intake of chole sterol and Ca in the patients was significantly smaller than that in t he healthy subjects, but no significant difference was observed in the intake per body weight of proteins and Ca. It seems, possible that th e low calorie, low protein, low fat, and low carbohydrate intake may b e factors in the malnutritional condition of the patients with chronic pancreatitis. Analysis of covariance and principal component analysis showed that the body weight of the patients was closely correlated wi th decreases of caloric intake and intake of carbohydrate. The above r esults revealed that low body weight in patients with chronic pancreat itis was closely related to the decrease of calorie and carbohydrate i ntake, in addition to mal-digestion and malabsorption of nutrients.