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  • Original Article
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Greater than predicted decrease in resting energy expenditure with age: cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 18–24 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To determine whether the age-related decrease in resting energy expenditure (REE) is explained by variations in body composition.

Design:

In Study 1, adult subjects (20–70 years) from the Québec Family Study were classified into five different age groups. Body composition was measured by hydrodensitometry to determine fat mass and fat-free mass as predictors of REE. In the youngest group of individuals these predictors were used to plot a reference regression that was then used to predict REE in the other age groups. In Study 2, this issue was investigated in a longitudinal design (6-year follow-up). Subjects were subdivided into three groups and a reference regression was plotted at the beginning of the follow-up and was then used to predict REE 6 years later in the three age groups.

Subjects:

In Study 1, 627 adults (288 men and 339 women), aged between 20 and 70 years. In Study 2, 191 adults (93 men and 98 women).

Results:

In Study 1, measured REE was 329, 302, 528 and 636 kJ/day (P<0.0001) below predicted REE at 34, 44, 54 and 64 years, respectively. In Study 2 the most marked deviation from predicted REE in response to the 6-year follow-up in men was observed in young adults (−548 kJ/day, P<0.001) while in women, the largest deviation occurred later in life (−720 kJ/day, P<0.001).

Conclusion:

Aging is accompanied by a decrease in REE that is significantly greater than what is predicted by variations in body composition. This decrease may reach a mean level of about 500–800 kJ/day.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research C Bouchard is partly supported by the George A Bray chair in Nutrition. A Tremblay is partly funded by the Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Energy Balance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Kinesiology, Laval University, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada

    G Alfonzo-González & A Tremblay

  2. School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    E Doucet

  3. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    C Bouchard

Authors
  1. G Alfonzo-González
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  2. E Doucet
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  3. C Bouchard
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  4. A Tremblay
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Correspondence to A Tremblay.

Additional information

Guarantor: A Tremblay.

Contributors: GA-G and ED were responsible for writing the manuscript and data collection and analysis. They also reviewed relevant literature, interpreted data, and drafted the manuscript. CB and AT were responsible for the study design. They contributed to the manuscript preparation and revised the manuscript before publication.

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Alfonzo-González, G., Doucet, E., Bouchard, C. et al. Greater than predicted decrease in resting energy expenditure with age: cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 18–24 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602262

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