Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Exp Med. Jun 20, 2012; 2(3): 58-64
Published online Jun 20, 2012. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v2.i3.58
Indirect calorimetry in obese female subjects: Factors influencing the resting metabolic rate
Theresa Hagedorn, Eleonora Poggiogalle, Claudia Savina, Cecilia Coletti, Maddalena Paolini, Luciano Scavone, Barbara Neri, Lorenzo Maria Donini
Theresa Hagedorn, Claudia Savina, Cecilia Coletti, Maddalena Paolini, Luciano Scavone, Rehabilitation Clinical Institute “Villa delle Querce”, Nemi, 00040 Rome, Italy
Eleonora Poggiogalle, Barbara Neri, Lorenzo Maria Donini, Department of Experimental Medicine, Medical Physiopathology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, Food Science and Human Nutrition Research Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Author contributions: Hagedorn T and Donini LM contributed equally to this work; Hagedorn T and Savina C designed the research; Hagedorn T, Savina C, Coletti C and Paolini M performed the research; Scavone L and Neri B analyzed the data; Poggiogalle E and Donini LM wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Lorenzo Maria Donini, Professor, Department of Experimental Medicine, Medical Physiopathology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, Food Science and Human Nutrition Research Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. lorenzomaria.donini@uniroma1.it
Telephone: +39-6-49690216 Fax: +39-6-49910699
Received: March 28, 2012
Revised: May 29, 2012
Accepted: June 1, 2012
Published online: June 20, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate selected factors influencing resting energy expenditure (REE) in obese female subjects.

METHODS: Seventy seven 61 obese Caucasian women [mean age of 52.93 ± 13.45 years, and mean body mass index (BMI) of 41.78 ± 11.54 kg/m2] were enrolled; measurements of resting metabolic rate (RMR) by a ventilated, open-circuit system, indirect calorimeter were performed after an overnight fast. Body composition as well as medications, physical parameters, blood samples, disease pattern, and smoking were considered.

RESULTS: RMR was significantly associated with body weight (r = 0.732, P < 0.001), body height (r = 0.401, P = 0.008), BMI (r = 0.504, P < 0.001), waist circumference (r = 0.602, P < 0.001), mid-upper arm circumference (r = 0.417, P = 0.006), mid-upper arm muscle circumference (r = 0.344, P = 0.028), total body water (r = 0.339, P = 0.035), body temperature (r = 0.409, P = 0.007), smoking (P = 0.031), serum T4 levels (r = 0.331, P = 0.036), obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS; P = 0.023), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; P = 0.017) and impaired glycaemic status, including hyperinsulinism, IGT and diabetes mellitus (P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION: Future research should be prompted to optimize the procedure of indirect calorimetry to achieve clinical benefits in obese subjects.

Keywords: Indirect calorimetry, Obesity, Resting metabolic rate, Resting energy expenditure