Paper
International Journal of Obesity (2005) 29, 287–291. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802888
Low relative resting metabolic rate and body weight gain in adult Caucasian Italians
S Buscemi1, S Verga1, G Caimi1 and G Cerasola1
1Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Palermo, Italy
Correspondence: Dr S Buscemi, Via D Cimarosa 5c, I-90145 Palermo, Italy. E-mail: silbus@tin.it
Received 13 January 2004; Revised 13 October 2004; Accepted 4 November 2004; Published online 11 January 2005.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the relationship between resting metabolic rate (RMR) and subsequent changes in body size and degree of fatness in a group of adult Caucasian Italians.
DESIGN:
Prospective, longitudinal, observational study.
SUBJECTS:
In total, 155 subjects (72 males and 83 females, age range: 18–55 y; BMI: 17.5–63.4 kg/m2) were evaluated. In total, 43 (26 m and 17 f; BMI: 28.9
1.1 kg/m2, means.e.m.) of them were reassessed 10–12 y later.
MEASUREMENTS:
Anthropometric and body composition (bioimpedance analysis) parameters and RMR (indirect calorimetry) were taken at baseline and after 10–12 y.
RESULTS:
Subjects (15 m, 8 f) who gained body weight (arbitrarily defined as a change in body weight 
5 kg) had baseline BMI (29.91.8 vs 28.01.4; P=NS) and body composition in terms of fat mass (FM%) and fat-free mass (FFM kg) comparable to those of the subjects (11 m, 9 f) whose body weight remained stable. Baseline RMR was significantly lower in subjects who gained weight than in those who did not (1082.1 vs 1223.1 kJ/kg-FFM 24 h; P<0.001), although it did not differ significantly between the two groups (1192 vs 1212 kJ/kg-FFM 24 h; P=NS) 10–12 y later. Baseline RMR was inversely correlated to both change in body weight (r=-0.57; P<0.001) and FM (r=-0.50; P<0.001).
CONCLUSION:
A low RMR normalized for FFM appears to be associated with body weight gain in the long run in adult Caucasian Italians.
Keywords:
resting metabolic rate, energy expenditure, body composition
