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Resting energy expenditure and body composition: critical aspects for clinical nutrition

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 72, pages 1208–1214 (2018)Cite this article

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Present day laboratories that measure TEE and its components utilise technology based on indirect calorimetry (IC) (Fig. 1). A key condition of the principle underlying IC is that individuals are measured within the thermo-neutral zone (TNZ), since it is within this zone that energy production (from IC) equals energy expenditure. It is generally accepted that the TNZ ranges from 23 to 27 °C for a lightly clothed person. However, defining the TNZ and the physiologically- and behaviourally-related thermal comfort zone (TCZ) is difficult in practice since they can vary with age, gender, body composition, clothing, skin and core body temperatures [5]. It follows then that REE will increase when ambient temperature falls below the TNZ, though the magnitude of this increase is highly variable between-individuals. The primary aim of such non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) is to maintain core temperature, and any further decrease in air temperature beyond 14–16 °C (for a lightly clothed, lean person) will elicit shivering thermogenesis (ST). The latter temperatures are not precise cut-offs but depend on place of study, prior acclimatisation and method of cold exposure used, i.e. ambient air versus cold body suit [6,7,8].

There is currently not much evidence for a genetic effect, since heritability estimates of either REE or REE adjusted for body weight (or its composition) are around 0.3 [9,10,11]. The effect of several hormones and their functionality have been described as contributors to REE. These include insulin and insulin sensitivity, leptin and vitamin D status to name a few [12]. However, thyroid hormones, both thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) remain key regulators, since small changes in T3 modulate REE well before any changes in body weight or composition are apparent [13,14,15]. Historically, before the advent of RIA, measurements of REE were used to clinically judge thyroid function, where measured REE minus predicted REE (based on body weight, height, age and sex) less than −10% and above +15%, signalled hypo and hyperthyroidism, respectively.

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Fig. 1
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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia

    M. J. Soares

  2. Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Sciences, Christian Albrechts Universität, Kiel, Germany

    M. J. Müller

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Soares, M.J., Müller, M.J. Resting energy expenditure and body composition: critical aspects for clinical nutrition. Eur J Clin Nutr 72, 1208–1214 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0220-0

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