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Development and cross-validation of a prediction equation for estimating resting energy expenditure in healthy African-American and European-American women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 474–480 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To develop, validate, and cross-validate a formula for predicting resting energy expenditure (REE) in African-American and European-American women.

Design: A cross-sectional study of REE in women. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group served to develop and validate a new equation for predicting REE while the second was used to cross-validate the prediction equation. The accuracy of the equation was compared to several existing formulae.

Setting: University metabolic laboratory, Memphis, TN, USA.

Subjects: Healthy, premenopausal African-American and European-American women between 18 and 39 y of age. The validation sample included 239 women (age: 28.4 y, wt: 70.7 kg, body mass index (BMI): 25.2 kg/m2, REE: 5840 kJ/day), while the cross-validation sample consisted of 232 women (age: 27.5 y, wt: 70.7 kg, BMI: 25.2 kg/m2, REE: 5784 kJ/day).

Results: The prediction equation derived from the current sample, which included adjustments for ethnicity, was the only formula that demonstrated a high level of accuracy for predicting REE in both African-American and European-American women. The mean difference between REE predicted from the new formula and measured REE was 28 kJ/day (s.d.=668) for European-American women and 142 kJ/day (s.d.=584) for African-American women.

Conclusions: Previous equations for predicting energy needs may not be appropriate for both African-American and European-American women due to ethnic differences in REE. A new equation that makes adjustments in predicted REE based on ethnicity is recommended for determining energy needs in these groups (Predicted REE (kJ/day)=616.93−14.9 (AGE (y))+35.12 (WT (kg))+19.83 (HT (cm))−271.88 (ETHNICITY: 1=African American; 0=European American)).

Sponsorship: Support for this study was provided by Grant #HL53261 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Memphis Center for Community Health, Memphis, TN, USA

    M W Vander Weg, J M Watson, R C Klesges, D L Slawson & B S McClanahan

  2. Department of Consumer Science and Education, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA

    L H Eck Clemens

Authors
  1. M W Vander Weg
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  2. J M Watson
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  3. R C Klesges
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  4. L H Eck Clemens
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Contributions

Guarantor: MW Vander Weg.

Contributors: MWV was the primary author and data analyst. JMW also contributed to data analysis and interpretation, as well as data collection and management. RCK was the Principal Investigator for the parent study, and was responsible for its design and methodology. LHEC was Co-Principal Investigator, and assisted with the administration and scientific oversight of the study. DLS was the Project Coordinator, and supervised the day-to-day management of the study. BSM was director of the metabolic laboratory, and supervised all aspects of metabolic data collection. All six authors contributed to the preparation of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to M W Vander Weg.

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Vander Weg, M., Watson, J., Klesges, R. et al. Development and cross-validation of a prediction equation for estimating resting energy expenditure in healthy African-American and European-American women. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 474–480 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601833

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