Use of a triaxial accelerometer to validate reported food intakes.
BACKGROUND
An easy and cheap method for validating reported energy intake (EI) is needed.


OBJECTIVE
Reported EI was compared with calculated energy expenditure (EE(calc)) and with energy expenditure measured by the doubly labeled water method (EE(DLW)).


METHODS
EE was calculated on the basis of basal metabolic rate (BMR) measured with the ventilated-hood technique and physical activity (PA) measured with a triaxial accelerometer (EE(VH+PA)) and on the basis of BMR estimated by using World Health Organization equations and PA (EE(WHO+PA)): EE(calc) = -1.259 + 1.55 x BMR + 0.076 x counts/min (r(2) = 0.90, P = 0.0001). Subjects [n = 12 men and 12 women aged 60 +/- 3 y; body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 26 +/- 4] reported their food intakes for 7 d and EE(DLW), EE(VH+PA), and EE(WHO+PA) were assessed over the same 7 d.


RESULTS
Reported EI (9.0 +/- 2.1 MJ/d) was lower (P: < 0.0001) than were EE(DLW) (11.3 +/- 2.3 MJ/d), EE(VH+PA) (10.8 +/- 1.7 MJ/d), and EE(WHO+PA) (10.8 +/- 1.8 MJ/d). Underreporting was 19.4 +/- 14.0%, 16.7 +/- 13.6%, and 16.4 +/- 15.5% on the basis of EE(DLW), EE(VH+PA), and EE(WHO+PA), respectively. The difference of 2.7 +/- 8.0% between EE(DLW) and EE(VH+PA) was not related to the average of both percentages and was not significantly different from zero. The percentage of underreporting calculated with EE(WHO+PA) was not significantly different from that calculated with EE(DLW).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of a combination of BMR (measured or estimated) and PA is a good method for validating reported EI. There was no significant difference between the percentage of underreporting calculated with EE(VH+PA), EE(WHO+PA), or EE(DLW).
Goris
A H
AH
Departments of Human Biology and Methodology and Statistics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands. a.goris@hb.unimaas.nl
Meijer
E P
EP
Kester
A
A
Westerterp
K R
KR
D000368:Aged; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D017666:Deuterium Oxide; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D016552:Ergometry / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D014867:Water
D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D014867:Water; D017666:Deuterium Oxide