To improve patient care at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) by examining the energy needs of patients with medically compromised eating disorders. This will be done by using indirect calorimetry to inform review of the local and state-wide nasogastric feeding protocols.

Roughly 150 patients with eating disorders are admitted to RBWH each year. While it is generally recommended to use indirect calorimetry to identify energy needs for these patients, there is currently limited research in the field due to practical constraints and associated expenses of using this equipment.

The current state-wide guidelines recommend nasogastric feeding for at least 7 days to achieve a set energy target for patients with medically compromised eating disorders.

The specific objectives of this project are to:

1. Conduct and publish a scoping review on the use of indirect calorimetry with patients with eating disorders which will inform the design for objective 2
2. Conduct an observational cohort study measuring the energy needs of patients admitted for medically compromised eating disorders using indirect calorimetry
3. Using results from objectives 1 and 2, to review the state-wide nasogastric feeding protocol

By examining how much nutrition patients need using indirect calorimetry, RBWH aims to better meet the needs of this population group. Results will inform review of feed protocols nationally.