Validity and reproducibility of resting metabolic rate measurements in rural Bangladeshi women: comparison of measurements obtained by Medgem and by Deltatrac device.
OBJECTIVE
To assess reproducibility and validity of resting metabolic rate (RMR) of Bangladeshi women as measured with the MedGem device and using the Deltatrac metabolic monitor as a reference; and (2) to evaluate the FAO/WHO/UNU basal metabolic rate (BMR)-prediction equations.


METHODS
In each of two sessions, resting oxygen consumption was measured in triplicate by MedGem and in triplicate by Deltatrac device.


METHODS
Matlab area, the rural field research area of the Centre for Health and Population Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B).


METHODS
A total of 37 nonpregnant, nonlactating women, aged 27.6 +/- 4.5 y, BMI 20.8 +/- 3.1 kg/m(2) participated.


RESULTS
The difference in oxygen consumption by MedGem and Deltatrac device was significantly level dependent. Within-subject within-session variations (expressed as CV) were 9.0 and 3.0% (P < 0.01) and within-subject between-session variations were 8.2 and 4.5% (P < 0.01) for MedGem and Deltatrac, respectively. Mean RMR measured by Deltatrac (5.17 +/- 0.51 MJ/day) was not significantly different from the BMR predicted by the FAO/WHO/UNU equations (5.16 +/- 0.42 MJ/day) in the second session and only 0.19 MJ/day higher than predicted in the first session (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Reproducibility and validity of the MedGem device was poor compared to the Deltatrac reference method. The FAO/WHO/UNU BMR-prediction equations give a good estimation of the BMR of rural, nonpregnant, nonlactating Bangladeshi women of 18-35 y.


BACKGROUND
Wageningen University (The Netherlands) and ICDDR,B (Bangladesh).
Alam
D S
DS
Centre for Health and Population Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Hulshof
P J M
PJ
Roordink
D
D
Meltzer
M
M
Yunus
M
M
Salam
M A
MA
van Raaij
J M A
JM
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001459:Bangladesh; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*