Resting metabolic rate and work efficiency of rural Beninese women: a 2-y longitudinal study

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 61; no. 3; pp. 466 - 472
• Main Authors: Ategbo, EA, van Raaij, JM, de Koning, FL, Hautvast, JG
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.03.1995; American Society for Clinical Nutrition; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Afdeling Humane voeding; Anthropometry; Basal Metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Clinical trials; Electric Impedance; Energy Metabolism; Farmers; Female; Human Nutrition; Human Nutrition & Health; Human Nutrition (HNE); Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humane Voeding; Humane Voeding & Gezondheid; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Medical sciences; Metabolism; Netherlands; Nutrition; Nutritional survey. Food supply and nutritional requirement; Rural Population; Seasons; Tropical medicine; VLAG; Women; Benin; Africa; Netherlands; Physical exercise; Human; Energy cost; Rural environment; Energetic cost; Seasonal variation; Female; Metabolism; Food supply; Body composition; Adaptation; Feeding
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/61.3.466

This study was performed on 34 female farmers in northern Benin during 2 consecutive years. Body composition, energy intake, energy expenditure, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and energy cost of cycling on a bicycle were measured in three periods per year. Energy intake showed seasonal fluctuations of ≈ 1.7 MJ/d in 1990 and 0.6 MJ/d in 1991. Body weight fluctuated between periods, with the lowest weight in preharvest periods. Observed changes in body weight were 2.6 ± 2.3 and 0.9 ± 1.7 kg in 1990 and 1991, respectively. The same pattern was observed in both fat mass and fat-free mass. RMR, energy cost of cycling, and delta work efficiency did not show any seasonal changes. It is concluded that metabolic adaptation, as a response to a seasonal food shortage up to 15% of average daily intake, will not occur.