Energy/protein index: III. Correlation with a biochemical parameter which reflects protein nutritional imbalance.

To establish the usefulness of the Energy/Protein index, a study was made to assess its correlation with a biochemical parameter able to detect marginal forms of protein-energy malnutrition such as the non-essential/essential aminoacid ratio. A simple linear regression model was proposed and tested in a sample of ninety-seven malnourished children, by means of analysis of variance. The model was satisfactory. A highly significant (p less than 0.001) correlation coefficient of r = 0.552 was found.