American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 25, 971-975, Copyright © 1972 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Energy expenditure of obese women during weight loss

¹ From the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of California at Berkeley

The energy expenditure and efficiency of oxygen utilization of six obese women was measured in metabolic environment designed to simulate home living before and after a moderate weight-loss program.

There was no portion of the day in which the women were more active than another. Typical energy expenditure values were close to resting values for these women, confirming physical observations that they were highly inactive. Mean daily heart rates ranged from 81 to 93 beats/min before weight loss and 82 to 98 beats/min after weight loss.

Standardized tests of the efficiency of oxygen utilization showed that 84 to 88% of the variation in energy expenditure could be accounted for by multiple regressions of weight and heart rate.

Weight loss induced by dietary means in these obese women was not associated with either an increase in energy expenditure or in efficiency of oxygen utilization.