Original Communication
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59, 651–657. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602122 Published online 30 March 2005
Validity and reproducibility of resting metabolic rate measurements in rural Bangladeshi women: comparison of measurements obtained by Medgem™ and by Deltatrac™ device
Guarantor: PJM Hulshof.
Contributors: DSA, JvR and PH conceptualized and supervised the study and developed the analysis plan. MM, DR, MY and MAS assisted with the study design. MM and DR led the data collection and analysis and provided support for the manuscript preparation. All authors critically revised the first draft for content and contributed to the final draft. No authors had any financial or personal interest in the research conducted.
D S Alam1, P J M Hulshof2, D Roordink2, M Meltzer2, M Yunus1, M A Salam1 and J M A van Raaij2
- 1Centre for Health and Population Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- 2Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Correspondence: PJM Hulshof, Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, PO Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands. E-mail: paul.hulshof@wur.nl
Received 22 June 2004; Revised 1 December 2004; Accepted 20 December 2004; Published online 30 March 2005.
Abstract
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 20.83.1 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 (5.170.51 MJ/day) was not significantly different from the BMR predicted by the FAO/WHO/UNU equations (5.160.42 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).
Keywords:
indirect calorimetry, validity, reproducibility, FAO/WHO/UNU BMR-prediction equations, MedGem, Deltatrac, rural Bangladeshi women
