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  • Original Article
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Resting metabolic rate of Vietnamese adolescents

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 1075–1080 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the FAO/WHO/UNU equations for predicting resting metabolic rate (RMR) in Vietnamese adolescents.

Design:

A cross-sectional study involving healthy subjects was carried out at the Basic Nutrition Department, National Institute of Nutrition, Vietnam. The RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry and anthropometric indices were recorded. Equations derived by linear regression of RMR and body weight were compared to the FAO/WHO/UNU (1985) predictive equations.

Subjects:

A total of 110 subjects who had normal body mass index (5–85 percentile) and divided into two groups by sex.

Results:

Mean RMRs (MJ/kg/day) were 0.1146±0.0054 for males and 0.1062±0.0103 for females. Compared to the FAO/WHO/UNU equation, our findings were 7.8% and 11.7% lower in the two groups, respectively (P<0.001).

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that the FAO/WHO/UNU equations may overestimate RMR in Vietnamese adolescents. Further studies on establishing reference of daily energy needs for Vietnamese adolescents should be carried out.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the participants for their cooperation and the staff of the National Institute of Nutrition for their assistance in our survey. We thank Professor Kyouichi Kishi for his help in revising the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of International Public Health Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan,

    B T Nhung & M Nakamori

  2. National Institute of Nutrition, Hanoi, Vietnam,

    B T Nhung, N C Khan, L T Hop, N T Lam, N L B Khanh, D T K Lien & V T T Hien

  3. Department of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan

    A Kassu

  4. International Nutrition, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan

    S Yamamoto

Authors
  1. B T Nhung
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  2. N C Khan
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  3. L T Hop
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  4. N T Lam
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  5. N L B Khanh
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  6. D T K Lien
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  7. M Nakamori
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  8. V T T Hien
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  9. A Kassu
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  10. S Yamamoto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S Yamamoto.

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Nhung, B., Khan, N., Hop, L. et al. Resting metabolic rate of Vietnamese adolescents. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 1075–1080 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602629

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