ENERGY-EXPENDITURE DETERMINED BY THE DOUBLY LABELED WATER METHOD IN BOLIVIAN AYMARA LIVING IN A HIGH-ALTITUDE AGROPASTORAL COMMUNITY

Using the doubly labeled water method (DLW), we determined total energ y expenditure (TEE) under free-living conditions in 23 rural Bolivian Aymara (males and females aged 4-65), natives of a small, high-altitud e (4000-4100 m), rural agropastoral community in the Andes mountains. in the adults (18-65 y of age), mean TEEs for males and females were 1 1.1 +/- 1.8 MJ/24 h (range: 9.3-14.1) and 9.8 +/- 0.9 MJ/24 h (8.8-11. 3). Non basal energy expenditure expressed as TEE relative to basal en ergy expenditure (TEE:RMR) and as the difference between TEE and RMR p er unit of weight [(TEE - RMR)/wt] showed no significant sex differenc es. TEE:RMR in the adults (2.00 +/- 0.21) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that of adolescents and children (1.67 +/- 0.25), but th e mean (TEE - RMR)/wt values were similar in children, adolescents, an d adults. Significantly high RMR:FFM values in children and adolescent s, reflecting a curvilinear relation of RMR and FFM, have enlarged the differences in TEE:RMR by age groups. When compared with other DLW st udies for free-living nonobese adults, the RMR of adult Aymara subject s normalized by the ratio method (RMR:FFM) and by the regression-based method (RMR adjusted with FFM as the covariate) was not significantly different from that observed in subjects living in low altitudes. As compared to FAO/WHO/UNU (1985) recommendations, activity levels were c lassified as heavy for the adult females and moderate-heavy for the ad ult males. Energy requirements for maintaining everyday tasks in the A ndean people ale much higher than expected from the previous studies o n food consumption.