Total energy expenditure & physical activity level in chronically energy deficient Indian males measured by the doubly labelled water technique.

Total energy expenditure (TEE) and basal metabolic rate (BMR) in the free-living state were measured in healthy south Indians, by the doubly labelled water (DLW) method. From these measurements, estimates of physical activity level (PAL) could be calculated. A total of 18 subjects were studied in 3 groups of 6 subjects each: Group I (urban controls), Group II (urban slum, chronically undernourished) and Group III (rural). The urban slum recruits were chronically energy deficient (CED), and had a low BMI (average 17.0 kg/m2), while the rural subjects had an average BMI of 18.1 kg/m2. The TEE measured by the doubly labelled water technique was 11.2, 7.1 and 12.2 MJ/day for Groups I, II and III respectively. The TEE was significantly lower in the urban CED group as obtained by the one way ANOVA. The estimates of TEE by the DLW technique were compared with estimates made by whole body calorimetry, in the urban groups of subjects. The TEE obtained by calorimetry was 10.3 +/- 1.6 and 7.3 +/- 0.2 MJ/day in Groups I and II respectively. There were no significant differences between the TEE measured by the two methods, in both the groups. The two methods also correlated well, and the mean difference between the methods, in both groups was -0.5 +/- 1.1 MJ/day, which was about 6 per cent of the value of TEE measured by the DLW method. The calculated PAL (by using TEE measured by DLW/BMR) was 1.79, 1.54 and 1.90 for Groups I, II and III respectively. The results showed that the activity of chronically energy deficient subjects, in urban slums, was reduced, and that this may be their method of conserving energy to maintain a stable body weight. Rural males had a high activity level, even though they had a low BMI.

Body composition by a three compartment model in adult Indian male and female subjects.

The body composition of 10 adult Indian male and female subjects was investigated by a three compartment model, using measurements of Total Body Water (TBW) by deuterium dilution, and of body density by hydrodensitometry. The three compartment model yielded significantly different (P < 0.005) estimates of percent body fat of 15.9+/-3.8 and 19.7+/-4.2% and of the Fat Free Mass (FFM) of 41+/-3.3 kg and 33.9+/-4.1 kg in the male and female subjects respectively. The hydration of the FFM was 0.704+/-0.032 in the males and 0.719+/-0.024 in the females; this difference was not signifcant between groups. The density of the FFM, measured from estimates of percent body fat by the 3 compartment approach and of body density by hydrodensitometry, was 1.107+/-0.014 in the males and 1.101+/-0.001 in the females with no significant differences between the groups. This study demonstrates differences in body composition between BMI matched healthy adult male and female subjects. Although there are significant differences for % Fat and FFM between the sexes, there are no significant differences in the hydration fraction and the density of the FFM.

Measurement of total energy expenditure by the doubly labelled water technique in free living Indians in Bangalore city.

Doubly labelled (2H2(18)O) water was used to determine the daily total energy expenditure (TEE) in the free living state of 6 adult, healthy, weight stable, male volunteers over a period of 21 days. The body weights of the subjects ranged from 42.3-70.4 kg. Isotope pool sizes and elimination rates were calculated from 18O and 2H enrichments in basal and daily (21 days) post dose urine samples using the multipoint slope intercept method after corrections for isotope fractionation. The physical activity level (PAL) of the subjects was also measured during the experiment as the ratio of measured TEE to measured basal metabolic rate (BMR). Simultaneous prediction of the total energy expenditure was also carried out by combining the measurements of BMR by indirect calorimetry, and daily physical activity level by 7 day recall. TEE calculated by the isotopic technique was 9.35 +/- 2.00 MJ/day, with an inter individual variation of 21.4 per cent. The measured BMRs in the subjects along with PALs obtained by recall, gave a total daily energy expenditure of 8.66 +/- 2.20 MJ/day with an inter individual variation of 25.4 per cent. The average BMR was 5.59 +/- 0.99 MJ/day and the average PAL (by recall) was 1.54 +/- 0.12. The inter individual variation of the BMR was 17.7 per cent and that of the recalled PAL was 7.9 per cent; the latter increased to 12.2 per cent when the PAL was calculated from the ratio of the measured TEE to the BMR. There was no significant differences between the methods (isotopic and predicted by BMR), although, the TEE obtained by the isotopic method was higher, by about 0.7 MJ/day, or 7.9 per cent, than the TEE predicted by BMR.

The 13C urea breath test to assess Helicobacter pylori infection in school children.

BACKGROUND: The 13C urea breath test was used in this study to establish it as a diagnostic tool as well as to assess the prevalence of Helicobactor pylori in a group of school children. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a group of 50 children studied, 82% were found to be positive for H. pylori by this test. The influence of diet in modifying the results of the test was also assessed. Relatively small errors were seen if adequate precautions were taken. CONCLUSION: Epidemiological studies are required to further quantify the magnitude of the prevalence of H. pylori in the Indian setting.

Total body water measurements by deuterium dilution in adult Indian males and females.

Total Body Water (TBW) was measured in a group of 20 healthy adult Indian men and 10 women by the deuterated water dilution technique and their body composition was determined by applying a hydration factor of 0.7194 for fat free mass (FFM). The TBW in the male subjects whose mean body weight was 49.8 +/- 6.7 kg, was 60.6 +/- 3.2% of body weight (range 55.8%-65.4%), from which a FFM of 41.9 +/- 6.1 kg (range 31.8 kg-51.3 kg) was obtained. Total body water in the group of 10 female subjects whose mean body weight was 42.7 +/- 4.9 kg, was 57.0 +/- 4.5% of body weight (range 52.5%-64.2%) from which a FFM of 34.0 +/- 5.1 kg (range 28.4 kg-39.4 kg) was obtained.