MEASURED AND PREDICTED RESTING METABOLIC-RATE IN OBESE AND NONOBESE ADOLESCENTS

Objectives: The validity of equations for the calculation of resting m etabolic rate (RMR) were studied and new predictive equations were dev eloped. Study design: The RMR was measured in a sample of 371 10- to 1 6-year-old prepubertal and postpubertal children. The study group incl uded 193 male (116 non-obese and 77 obese) and 178 female (119 nonobes e and 59 obese) subjects; for each group the RMRs predicted from five equations recommended for this age group were compared. The RMR was as sessed by indirect calorimetry with a ventilated hood system for 45 mi nutes after an overnight fast. Body composition was estimated from ski n-fold measurements. Results:The mean +/- SD RMR was found to be 5500 +/- 972 kJ/24 hr and 7223 +/- 1220 kJ/24 hr in nonobese and obese boys , and 5112 +/- 632 kJ/24 hr and 6665 +/- 1106 kJ/24 hr in nonobese and obese girls, respectively. All five equations applicable to 10- to 16 -year-old children overestimated RMR by 7.5% to 18.1% (p < 0.001 for e ach equation). Stepwise regression analysis, with independent variable s such as age, weight, height, and gender, allowed development of new predictive equations for the calculation of RMR in 10- to 16-year-old boys (RMR = 50.9 Weight (kg) + 25.3 Height (cm) - 50.3 Age (yr) + 26.9 ; R(2) = 0.884, p < 0.0001) and girls (RMR = 51.2 Weight (kg) + 24.5 H eight (cm) - 207.5 Age (yr) + 1629.8; R(2) = 0.824, p < 0.0001). These predictive equations were tested in a second, independent cohort of c hildren (80 male and 61 female subject) and were found to give a relia ble estimate of RMR in 10- to 16-year-old obese and nonobese adolescen ts. Conclusions: The currently used predictive equations overestimate RMR in 10- to 16-year-old children. The use of the newly developed equ ations is recommended.