Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Paper
  • Published:

Regulation of macronutrient balance in healthy young and older men

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 1497–1502 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of age on the ability to adjust macronutrient oxidation to changes in diet composition. Our hypothesis was that the ability to adjust macronutrient oxidation to changes in diet composition would be impaired with age.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional, randomized to three different isocaloric diets containing a constant percentage protein but varying in percentage fat and percentage carbohydrate: mixed diet (M; 15/30/55); high-fat diet (HF; 15/60/25), and high-carbohydrate (HC; 15/15/70).

SUBJECTS: Six young (YM; age=25±1 y) and five middle-aged and older men (OM; age=63±3 y).

MEASUREMENTS: Each subject underwent 24 h whole-room calorimetry on day 4 of each diet to determine 24 h macronutrient oxidation rates. Macronutrient balance was calculated from the individual macronutrient oxidation rates and the corresponding macronutrient intake.

RESULTS: Body mass, percentage fat, and fat-free mass were similar in the two groups. Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure (EE) and energy balance did not differ across diets or between groups; 24 h EE was ∼7% lower (NS) in the OM. Macronutrient oxidation rates were not significantly different in YM vs OM during M. Protein oxidation was similar across diets, but higher (P<0.05) in OM. Fat oxidation contributed 28.8±7.0% vs 37.8±4.7% to 24 h EE on M (NS) in the OM vs YM, respectively. This increased to 58.4±6.7 vs 51.9±5.3% of 24 h EE (NS) in the OM vs YM, respectively, during HF and decreased to 25.4±9.7 vs 20.2±14.3% (NS) during HC (diet effect, both P<0.05). Carbohydrate oxidation contributed 54.3±10.5% vs 56.6±2.4% of 24 h EE (NS) on M in the OM vs YM, respectively. This decreased to 19.5±10.6 vs 29.9±12.6% (NS) during HF and increased to 53.6±12.3 vs 64.7±14.3% (NS) in the OM vs YM, respectively during HC (diet effect, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that the ability to adjust macronutrient oxidation to changes in diet composition is maintained in OM and, thus, is unlikely to contribute to the increased susceptibility to weight gain and obesity development that accompanies aging.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Durnin JVGA, Womersly J . Body fat assessed from total body density and its estimation from skinfold thickness: measurements on 481 men and women aged from 16 to 72 y Br J Nutr 1974 32: 77–97.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Going S, WDLT, HM . Aging, body composition, and physical activity: a review J Aging Phys Act 1994 2: 38–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Steen B . Body composition and aging Nutr Rev 1988 46: 45.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Kuczmarski RJ, Johnson CL . Overweight and obesity in the United States: prevalence and trends, 1960-1994 Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998 22: 39–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kuczmarski R, Flegal K, Campbell S, Johnson C . Increasing prevalence of overweight among US adults: the national health and nutrition examination surveys, 1960 to 1991 JAMA 1994 272: 205–211.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Seidell J, Muller D, Sorkin J, Andres R . Fasting respiratory exchange ratio and resting metabolic rate as predictors of weight gain: the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1992 16: 667–674.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Zurlo F, Lillioja S, Puente AED, Nyomba B, Raz I, Saad M, Swinburn B, Knowler W, Borgardus C, Ravussin E . Low ratio of fat to carbohydrate oxidation as predictor of weight gain: study of 24-h RQ Am J Physiol 1990 259: E650–E657.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hill J, Peters J, Reed G, Schlundt D, Sharp T, Greene H . Nutrient balance in man: effects of diet composition Am J Clin Nutr 1991 54: 10–17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lean M, James W . Metabolic effects of isoenergetic nutrition exchange over 24-hours in relation to obesity in women Int J Obes 1988 12: 15–27.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Schrauwen P, Lichtenblet WvM, Saris W, Westerterp K . Changes in fat oxidation in response to a high-fat diet Am J Clin Nutr 1997 66: 276–282.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Horton T, Drougas H, Brachey A, Reed G, Peters J, Hill J . Fat and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans: different effects on energy storage Am J Clin Nutr 1995 62: 19–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Horton T, Drougas H, Sharp T, Marinez L, Reed G, Hill J . Energy balance in endurance-trained female cyclists and untrained controls J Appl Physiol 1994 76: 1937–1945.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sharp T, Reed G, Sun M, Abumrad N, Hill J . Relationship between aerobic fitness and daily energy expenditure in weight stable humans Am J Physiol 1992 263.

  14. Thomas C, Peters J, Reed G, Abumrad N, Sum M, Hill J . Nutrient balance and energy expenditure during ad libitum feeding of high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets in humans Am J Clin Nutr 1992 55: 934–942.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Jacquier E, Acheson K, Schutz Y . Assessment of energy expenditure and fuel utilization in man Ann Rev Nutr 1987 7: 187–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Bergman R, Beard J, Chen M . The minimal modeling method. Assessment of insulin sensitivity and β-cell function in vivo. In: Clarke W, Larner J, Pohl S (eds). Methods in diabetes research, vol II: clinical methods John Wiley: New York 1986 15–34.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Roberts SB . Effects of aging on energy requirements and the control of food intake in men J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 1995 50: (Suppl): 101–106.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Roberts SB, Fuss P, Heyman MB, Young VR . Influence of age on energy requirements Am J Clin Nutr 1995 62: 1053S–1058S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Roberts S, Fuss P, Heyman M, Evans W, Tsay R, Rasmussen H, Fiatarone M, Cortiella J, Dallal G, Young V . Control of food intake in older men JAMA 1995 272: 1601–1606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Calles-Escandon J, Arciero P, Gardner A, Bauman C, Poehlman E . Basal fat oxidation decreases with aging in women J Appl Physiol 1995 78: 266–271.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Calles-Escandon J, Poehlman E . Aging, fat oxidation, and exercise Aging Clin Exp Res 1997 9: 57–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Toth M, Arciero P, Gardner A, Calles-Escandon J, Poehlman E . Rates of free fatty acid appearance and fat oxidation in healthy younger and older men J Appl Physiol 1996 80: 506–511.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Melanson K, Saltzman E, Russell R, Roberts S . Fat oxidation in response to four graded energy challenges in young and older women Am J Clin Nutr 1997 66: 860–866.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Sial S, Coggan AR, Carroll R, Goodwin J, Klein S . Fat and carbohydrate metabolism during exercise in elderly and young subjects Am J Physiol 1996 271: E983–989.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Campbell W, Crim M, Dallal G, Young V, Evans W . Increased protein requirements in the elderly: new data and retrospective reassessments Am J Clin Nutr 1997 60: 501–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Campbell W, Evans W . Protein requirements of elderly people Eur J Clin Nutr 1996 50: S180–S185.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Beaufrere B, Boirie Y . Aging and protein metabolism Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 1998 1: 85–89.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Milward D, Roberts S . Protein requirements of older individuals Nutr Res Rev 1996 9: 67–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Institute of Health grants AG00687 and AG15420 (KPD), grants DK42549 and DK48520 (JOH) and the General Clinical Research Center NIH 5-01-RR-00051 at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. We wish to express our appreciation to Marybeth Flanagan for her technical assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

    KP Davy

  2. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

    KP Davy & BM Davy

  3. Department of Physiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

    KP Davy

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Center for Human Nutrition, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, USA

    T Horton, D Bessessen & JO Hill

Authors
  1. KP Davy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T Horton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. BM Davy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D Bessessen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. JO Hill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to BM Davy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Davy, K., Horton, T., Davy, B. et al. Regulation of macronutrient balance in healthy young and older men. Int J Obes 25, 1497–1502 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801718

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801718

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links