Abstract
The role of resting energy expenditure (REE) in the development of obesity in children is controversial. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that REE has a meaningful impact on change in weight or body composition in healthy children. Resting energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry and body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were measured in 236 children (131 boys) on 7 annual occasions (7-13 years). The effect of REE at 7 years on change in weight and body composition was analyzed using linear mixed effects models. In neither sex was there an interaction between REE at 7 years and change in weight (P > .9). There were weak associations between REE at 7 years and change in body composition in boys but not in girls: for a 418 kJ (100 kcal) lower REE at 7 years, an increase in rate of change in fat mass of approximately 0.1 kg/y and in percentage of fat of 0.2% per year and a decrease in fat-free mass of 0.1 kg/y. Change in REE during follow-up was not significantly associated with body composition changes in either sex (P > .06). Thus, REE has little impact on the wide variation in weight gain at this age; although in boys, some fat was simply exchanged for lean, the effect was small. Resting energy expenditure does not appear to provide an explanation for childhood obesity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 9-13 |
| Number of pages | 0 |
| Journal | Nutr Res |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2011 |
Keywords
- Absorptiometry
- Photon
- Adolescent
- Basal Metabolism
- Body Composition
- Body Mass Index
- Body Weight
- Calorimetry
- Indirect
- Child
- Female
- Humans
- Longitudinal Studies
- Male
- Obesity
- Rest
- Weight Gain
