ABSTRACT
One of the most important roles of food intake is the provision of energy for mechanical work, maintenance of body temperature, biosynthesis, growth, and other metabolic functions. In addition, the intake and metabolism of energy may alter the requirements for other nutrients or in fluence their metabolism. This is particularly true of protein, which, after energy sources, is the second largest component of the hum an diet. There is also evidence that the amount and quality of dietary protein influences energy utilization and may have effects on body weight.
