title: The influence of physical characteristics on the resting energy expenditure of youth: A meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the literature on resting energy expenditure (REE) of youth and determine the influence of age, sex, BMI, and body composition on REE.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was conducted using PubMed, BIOSIS Previews, NTIS, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Pascal databases for studies with data on resting metabolic rate, REE, resting oxygen uptake (or VO2) in healthy children, youth, or adolescents (age = 1-18 years). Over 200 publications were identified; sixty-one publications met criteria and were included in the meta-analyses, resulting in 142 study population estimates (totaling 5,397 youth) of REE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pooled mean was 1414 kcal·day-1with a significant and moderate-to-high between-study heterogeneity [Q(140) = 7912.42, P < 0.001; I2= 98.97%]. A significantly greater (P < 0.001) pooled mean kcal·day-1was estimated for studies with male participants (1519 kcal·day-1) comparing to studies with female participants (1338 kcal·day-1). Age, height, and body mass resulted in the highest R2of 86.4 for males and 83.9% for females. Fat free mass and body mass index (BMI) did not improve total R2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that using a linear equation including age, height, and body mass to estimate REE based on kcal·day-1is more accurate than estimates based on body mass kcal·kg-1·h-1. Further, if kcal·kg-1·h-1is used, including a quadratic component for the physical characteristics improves the predictive ability of the equation. Regardless of the metric, separate equations should be used for each sex.
authors.affiliation: Children's Health Research Center, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: McMurray
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
authors.forename: Youngdeok
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Institute University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas.
authors.forename: Erik A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Performance, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Minsoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McCurdy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors