title: Estimation of composition of weight loss in man: a comparison of methods.
abstract: Five different procedures were used to estimate composition of weight loss by six obese individuals maintained on low-calorie regimens: 1) energy-nitrogen (E-N) balance; 2) total body water-nitrogen balance (TBW-N); 3) total body water (TBW); 4) total body potassium (TBK); and 5) an anthropometric method. Quantity of weight lost by obese subjects during comparison periods lasting 25-40 days ranged from 7.9 to 17.1 kg. Expressed as percent of aggregate weight loss, collective fat loss was 47.6 by E-N balance; 46.3 by TBW-N balance; 51.7 by TBK; 50.9 by anthrometry; and 33 by TBW. The E-N balance method yielded a tight cluster of individual means, whereas the other procedures gave a wide scatter of means. For short-term studies, the E-N balance procedure, although tedious and difficult, should yield results less variable than those generated by any of the other methods examined.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001834:Body Water; D001835:Body Weight; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013217:Starvation
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen; D011188:Potassium