HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Müller, M. J Articles by Steiniger, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Müller, M. J Articles by Steiniger, J. Agricola Articles by Müller, M. J Articles by Steiniger, J.

World Health Organization equations have shortcomings for predicting resting energy expenditure in persons from a modern, affluent population: generation of a new reference standard from a retrospective analysis of a German database of resting energy expenditure^1,2,3

¹ From the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Humanernährung und Lebensmittelkunde, Kiel, Germany (MJM and AB-W); the Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung, Abteilung Biochemie und Physiologie der Ernährung, Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany (SK and RN); the Universitätskrankenhaus Eppendorf, Medizinische Klinik, Hamburg, Germany (GK); the Justus-Liebig-Universität, Institut für Ernährungswissenschaft, Giessen, Germany (PML and MN-B); the Universität Trier, Forschungszentrum für Psychobiologie und Psychosomatik, Trier, Germany (KMP); the Universität Würzburg, Biologische und Klinische Psychologie, Würzburg, Germany (PP); the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Abteilung Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Hannover, Germany (OS); the Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Herbert-Krauß-Klinik, Berlin (JS)

Background: Reference standards for resting energy expenditure (REE) are widely used. Current standards are based on measurements made in the first part of the past century in various races and locations.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the application of the World Health Organization (WHO) equations from 1985 in healthy subjects living in a modern, affluent society in Germany and to generate a new formula for predicting REE.

Design: The study was a cross-sectional and retrospective analysis of data on REE and body composition obtained from 2528 subjects aged 5–91 y in 7 different centers between 1985 and 2002.

Results: Mean REE varied between 5.63 and 8.07 MJ/d in males and between 5.35 and 6.46 MJ/d in females. WHO prediction equations systematically overestimated REE at low REE values but underestimated REE at high REE values. There were significant and independent effects of sex, age, body mass or fat-free mass, and fat mass on REE. Multivariate regression analysis explained up to 75% of the variance in REE. Two prediction formulas including weight, sex, and age or fat-free mass, fat mass, sex, and age, respectively, were generated in a subpopulation and cross-validated in another subpopulation. Significant deviations were still observed for underweight and normal-weight subjects. REE prediction formulas for specific body mass index groups reduced the deviations. The normative data for REE from the Institute of Medicine underestimated our data by 0.3 MJ/d.

Conclusions: REE prediction by WHO formulas systematically over- and underestimates REE. REE prediction from a weight group–specific formula is recommended in underweight subjects.

Key Words: Body composition • resting energy expenditure • fat-free mass • Harris-Benedict prediction • World Health Organization prediction

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Sy, A. Gourishankar, W. E Gordon, D. Griffin, D. Zurakowski, R. M Roth, J. Coss-Bu, L. Jefferson, W. Heird, and L. Castillo Bicarbonate kinetics and predicted energy expenditure in critically ill children Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, August 1, 2008; 88(2): 340 - 347. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Bosy-Westphal, A. Wolf, F. Buhrens, B. Hitze, N. Czech, H. Monig, O. Selberg, U. Settler, M. Pfeuffer, J. Schrezenmeir, et al. Familial influences and obesity-associated metabolic risk factors contribute to the variation in resting energy expenditure: the Kiel Obesity Prevention Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2008; 87(6): 1695 - 1701. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. S. Metsios, A. Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou, V. F. Panoulas, Y. Koutedakis, A. M. Nevill, K. M. J. Douglas, M. Kita, and G. D. Kitas New resting energy expenditure prediction equations for patients with rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatology, April 1, 2008; 47(4): 500 - 506. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. A. Martins, F. C. Doin, W. R. Komatsu, T. L. Barros-Neto, V. A. Moises, and J. Abucham Growth Hormone Replacement Improves Thyroxine Biological Effects: Implications for Management of Central Hypothyroidism J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2007; 92(11): 4144 - 4153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Biolo, B. Ciocchi, M. Stulle, A. Bosutti, R. Barazzoni, M. Zanetti, R. Antonione, M. Lebenstedt, P. Platen, M. Heer, et al. Calorie restriction accelerates the catabolism of lean body mass during 2 wk of bed rest Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, August 1, 2007; 86(2): 366 - 372. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]