Resting metabolic rate in six- to ten-year-old obese and nonobese children.
The resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition of 130 obese and nonobese prepubertal children, aged 6 to 10 years, were assessed by indirect calorimetry and skin-fold thickness, respectively. The mean (+/- SD) RMR was 4619 +/- 449 kJ.day-1 (164 +/- 31 kJ.kg body weight-1 x day-1) in the 62 boys and 4449 +/- 520 kJ.day-1 (147 +/- 32 kJ.kg body weight-1 x day-1) in the 68 girls. Fat-free mass was the best single predictor of RMR (R2 = 0.64; p < 0.001). Step-down multiple regression analysis, with independent variables such as age, gender, weight, and height, allowed several RMR predictive equations to be developed. An equation for boys is as follows: RMR (kJ.day-1) = 1287 + 28.6 x Weight(kg) + 23.6 x Height(cm) - 69.1 x Age(yr) (R2 = 0.58; p < 0.001). An equation for girls is as follows: RMR (kJ.day-1 = 1552 + 35.8 x Weight (kg) + 15.6 x Height (cm) - 36.3 x Age (yr) (R2 = 0.69; p < 0.001). Comparison between the measured RMR and that predicted by currently used formulas showed that most of these equations tended to overestimate the RMR of both genders, especially in overweight children.
Maffeis
C
C
Regional Centre for Juvenile Diabetes, Institute of Pediatrics-University of Verona Policlinico, Italy.
Schutz
Y
Y
Micciolo
R
R
Zoccante
L
L
Pinelli
L
L
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012885:Skinfold Thickness