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Total daily energy expenditure in black and white, lean and obese South African women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 63, pages 667–673 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

In South Africa (SA), the prevalence of obesity in women is 56%, with black women being most at risk (62%). Studies in the United States have demonstrated ethnic differences in resting (REE) and total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) between African American (AA) and their white counterparts. We investigated whether differences in EE exist in black and white SA women, explaining, in part, the ethnic obesity prevalence differences.

Subjects/Methods:

We measured REE, TDEE and physical activity EE (PAEE) in lean (BMI <25 kg m−2) and obese (BMI >30 kg m−2) SA women (N=44, 30±6 year). REE, TDEE, PAEE and total awake EE were measured during a 21 h stay in a respiration chamber.

Results:

Black and white subjects within obese and lean groups were not significantly different for age, mass, BMI and % body fat. However, fat-free mass (kg FFM) was consistently lower in the black women (P<0.01) in both weight groups. After adjusting EE measurements for differences in FFM, REE was not significantly different for either body weight or ethnicity, although 24 h TDEE (kJ) was significantly greater in the obese women (P<0.01) and white women (P<0.05). Total awake non-PAEE was not significantly different for either groups, while total awake time was only significantly lower for the lean groups (P<0.01). Total PAEE (kJ min−1) was significantly lower in the lean (P<0.001) and black groups (P<0.01).

Conclusions:

In this sample of matched, lean and obese, black and white SA women, differences in TDEE were largely explained by ethnic differences in PAEE, and were not as a result of ethnic differences in REE.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Claude Leon Foundation, the Nestlé Foundation, Woolworths Pty (Ltd) and the Medical Research Council of South Africa for their generous support to this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Biology, MRC/UCT Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    L R Dugas, M T Carstens, J H Goedecke & E V Lambert

  2. Division of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    R Cohen

  3. Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    P F M Schoffelen

  4. Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Loyola University School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA

    A Luke & R A Durazo-Arvizu

  5. Division of Endocrinology and Diabetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    N S Levitt

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  1. L R Dugas
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  2. R Cohen
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  3. M T Carstens
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  4. P F M Schoffelen
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  5. A Luke
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  6. R A Durazo-Arvizu
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  7. J H Goedecke
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  8. N S Levitt
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  9. E V Lambert
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Correspondence to L R Dugas.

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Dugas, L., Cohen, R., Carstens, M. et al. Total daily energy expenditure in black and white, lean and obese South African women. Eur J Clin Nutr 63, 667–673 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2008.8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2008.8

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