Comparación de tasa metabólica en reposo medida por calorimetría indirecta versus ecuaciones predictivas, en mujeres adultas jovenes y adultas mayores de peso corporal normal

Abstract

Introduction: The resting metabolic rate (RMR) can be measured by indirect calorimetry (RMR IC) or estimated by predictive equations, which can overestimate or underestimate energy requirements. Objective: To compare RMRs measured by indirect calorimetry and estimated by predictive equations in young adult and elderly women with normal body mass index (BMI). Subjects and methods: Analytical cross-sectional study. RMR IC was measured and estimated by Harris-Benedict (1919), FAO/WHO/UNU (1985), FAO/ WHO/UNU (2004), and Miffl in-St Jeor equations in 36 young adult women aged 20 to 24 years (BMI 20.7±1.6) and 29 elderly women aged 60 to 76 years (BMI 25.5±1.6). Measures of central tendency, dispersion, and position were calculated for quantitative variables. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare RMR between the different formulae and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare RMR IC between groups after verifying normality by the Shapiro Wilks test. The statistical signifi cance level was = 0.05. Results: The Harris-Benedict, FAO/WHO/UNU (2004), FAO/OMS/ UNU (1985), and Miffl in-St Jeor equations showed a statistically signifi cant overestimation (p<0.0001) of 290.5, 196.8, 200.1, and 188.0 kcal/d and 220.0, 211.9, 235.8, and 79.4 kcal/d in young adult and elderly women, respectively. The RMR IC between young adult women (1050.0 kcal/d) and elderly women (985,0 kcal/d) exhibited a signifi cant statistical difference (p=0.008). A higher overestimation was found by the Harris-Benedict test and the FAO/ WHO/UNU (1985) equation in young adult and elderly women, respectively. Conclusions: Predictive equations overestimated RMR in young adult and elderly women. Thus, its routine use could lead to malnutrition due to excess intake.