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Rev Bras Med Esporte – Vol. 19, No 2 – March/April, 2013
Arícia Motta Arantes Lustosa1
Ana Paula Nunes Bento(1)
Fernando Policarpo Barbosa2
Eliane De Abreu Soares3
Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas4
José Fernandes Filho5
1. Nutrition – Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
2. Stricto Sensu Graduation Program in
Health Sciences of the Federal University
of Rio Grande do Norte – Natal, RN, Brazil.
3. State University of Rio de Janeiro –
Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
4. Stricto Sensu Graduation Program
in Nursing and Biosciences of the
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
State - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
5. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
– Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Mailing address:
Av. T-1 n. 2.620-A – S. Bueno
74215-022 – Goiânia, GO, Brasil
E-mail: arícia@terra.com.br
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE) is the amount of energy necessary to the hu-
man body to keep the normal physiological processes and homeostasis. Currently, BEE is calculated
from equations based on the North American and/or European population. Objective: To compare
the Harris-Benedict, Food and Agriculture Organization and Institute of Medicine equations with
indirect calorimetry in men living in Goiânia. Methods: Forty-four male volunteers with average age
of 29.80, standard deviation – SD = 6.21 years; stature 1.79, SD = 0.06m; weight 77.79, SD = 8.49 kg;
BMI 24.30, SD = 1.96 kg/m2; body fat 15.84, SD = 4.49% and waist circumference 80.48, SD = 5.89 cm
were evaluated. BEE was determined by direct gas analyses; therefore, the VO2000 gas analyzer was
used. Results: There was significant difference (p < 0.05) for the BEE estimated by the Harris-Benedict
(1824.66 ± 138.25 kcal/day) and Food and Agriculture Organization (1821.77, SD = 115.39 kcal/day)
equations when compared to the BEE acquired by the indirect calorimetry (1709.81, SD = 329.75
kcal/day). BEE estimated by the IOM/2005 equation (1791.81, SD = 329.74) did not present significant
difference when compared to the measured BEE. Conclusion: The Food and Agriculture Organization
and Harris-Benedict equations can overvalue the BEE of healthy young men with characteristics
similar to those recorded on this work.
Keywords: BEE, indirect calorimetry, equations.
BASAL ENERGY EXPENDITURE IN MEN
LIVING IN GOIÂNIA
Original article
EXERCISE AND SPORTS
MEDICINE CLINIC
INTRODUCTION
The Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE) represents the greatest
part of the daily energetic cost in humans (50 to 70%) and it is
the amount of energy needed for the body to keep the normal
physiological processes and homeostasis. These processes include
the cardiovascular and respiratory at rest, gastrointestinal and
renal functions, the energy used by the central nervous system,
cellular homeostasis as well as the remaining biochemical reactions
involved in the maintenance of the basal metabolism-3.
It is directly influenced by fat-free mass, age, sex, body composi-
tion and genetic factors. Other processes such as the nervous system
activity, the thyroid hormones, the protein turnover and the sodium-po-
tassium pump also contribute to a BEE variation among individuals4-7.
The BEE may be measured by direct or indirect calorimetry,
which is the amount of the energetic cost from the respiratory
exchanges (oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production),
associated with the oxidation of the main energetic substrates: car-
bohydrates, proteins, lipids and alcohol6.
Many mathematical equations using variables of easy measure-
ment and low cost, such as age, height and total body mass have
been developed for BEE estimation5. Among these equations, we
highlight the ones by Harris and Benedict3, FAO/858 and Institute
of Medicine (IOM)9, all of them widely spread and studied.
The BEE is usually measured in the morning, under ten to 12
hour-fasting, with six to eight hours of sleep, at supine position,
in environment with controlled temperature and humidity, after
15 to 30 minutes of rest. The measurement of the gas exchanges
is obtained in the 20 to 30 subsequent minutes, during which
the individual should remain at supine position, awake and com-
pletely relaxed. The Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE), on the other
hand, is measured in the afternoon, at sitting position, three to
four hours after the last meal, and provides an estimation of the
energetic consumption value (kcal/day) which is from 10% to
20% higher than the BEE5,9,10-12, mainly derived from the Thermal
Effect of the Food (TEF).
Studies conducted by different groups of researchers in many
parts of the world have found variations between the BEE estima-
tion obtained by mathematical equations and the ones determined
by indirect calorimetry. These differences contribute to the quality
loss of diet or physical exercise programs, which may be harmful
to the population’s health. The inadequation of the BEE estima-
tion equations for specific populations, such as the Brazilian and
Australian ones, ends up bringing dissatisfaction and discredit to
the given services besides disturbing their aims, as weight body
composition control9-15.
The aim of this study was to compare the results of the BEE es-
timated by mathematical equations proposed by Harris-Benedict3,
FAO/856 and IOM 20057, with the values determined by indirect calo-
rimetry in young male volunteers, residents of the city of Goiânia.
METHODS
This comparative research16 was approved by the Ethics Com-
mittee of the Castelo Branco University. 44 male volunteers selected
