Validity and reproducibility of resting metabolic rate measurements in rural Bangladeshi women: comparison of measurements obtained by Medgem and by Deltatrac device

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 59; no. 5; pp. 651 - 657
• Main Authors: Alam, D.S, Hulshof, P.J.M, Roordink, D, Meltzer, M, Yunus, M, Salam, M.A, Raaij, J.M.A. van
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing 01.05.2005; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; adults; Analysis of Variance; Anthropometry - methods; Bangladesh; basal metabolic rate; Basal Metabolism - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; calorimeters; Calorimetry, Indirect - instrumentation; Clinical nutrition; clinical validation; Comparative analysis; Deltatrac device; equipment performance; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Mathematical analysis; Measurement techniques; MedGem device; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Metabolic rate; Metabolism; Oxygen; Oxygen consumption; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; predictive equations; Predictive Value of Tests; pregnancy; reliability; Reproducibility; Reproducibility of Results; resting metabolic rate; Rural areas; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; rural women; Validity; Women; Bangladesh; Human; rural Bangladeshi women; MedGem; Rural environment; Device; Basal metabolism; Comparison measurement; Validity; Sleeping metabolic rate; Indirect calorimetry; Reproducibility; Female; FAO/WHO/UNU BMR-prediction equations; Woman; Deltatrac
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602122

Objective: To assess reproducibility and validity of resting metabolic rate (RMR) of Bangladeshi women as measured with the MedGem device and using the Deltatrac metabolic monitor as a reference; and (2) to evaluate the FAO/WHO/UNU basal metabolic rate (BMR)-prediction equations. Design: In each of two sessions, resting oxygen consumption was measured in triplicate by MedGem and in triplicate by Deltatrac device. Setting: Matlab area, the rural field research area of the Centre for Health and Population Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). Subjects: A total of 37 nonpregnant, nonlactating women, aged 27.6+/-4.5 y, BMI 20.8+/-3.1 kg/m2 participated. Results: The difference in oxygen consumption by MedGem and Deltatrac device was significantly level dependent. Within-subject within-session variations (expressed as CV) were 9.0 and 3.0% (P<0.01) and within-subject between-session variations were 8.2 and 4.5% (P<0.01) for MedGem and Deltatrac, respectively. Mean RMR measured by Deltatrac (5.17+/-0.51 MJ/day) was not significantly different from the BMR predicted by the FAO/WHO/UNU equations (5.16+/-0.42 MJ/day) in the second session and only 0.19 MJ/day higher than predicted in the first session (P<0.05). Conclusion: Reproducibility and validity of the MedGem device was poor compared to the Deltatrac reference method. The FAO/WHO/UNU BMR-prediction equations give a good estimation of the BMR of rural, nonpregnant, nonlactating Bangladeshi women of 18-35 y. Sponsorship: Wageningen University (The Netherlands) and ICDDR,B (Bangladesh).