Accuracy of dietary reference intake predictive equation for estimated energy requirements in female tennis athletes and non-athlete college students: comparison with the doubly labeled water method

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of a dietary reference intake (DRI) predictive equation for estimated energy requirements (EER) in female college tennis athletes and non-athlete students using doubly labeled water (DLW) as a reference method. MATERIALS/METHODS: Fifteen female college students, including eight tennis athletes and seven non-athlete subjects (aged between 19 to 24 years), were involved in the study. Subjects' total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured by the DLW method, and EER were calculated using the DRI predictive equation. The accuracy of this equation was assessed by comparing the EER calculated using the DRI predictive equation (EER(DRI)) and TEE measured by the DLW method (TEE(DLW)) based on calculation of percentage difference mean and percentage of accurate prediction. The agreement between the two methods was assessed by the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS: The percentage difference mean between the methods was -1.1% in athletes and 1.8% in non-athlete subjects, whereas the percentage of accurate prediction was 37.5% and 85.7%, respectively. In the case of athletic subjects, the DRI predictive equation showed a clear bias negatively proportional to the subjects' TEE. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study suggest that the DRI predictive equation could be used to obtain EER in non-athlete female college students at a group level. However, this equation would be difficult to use in the case of athletes at the group and individual levels. The development of a new and more appropriate equation for the prediction of energy expenditure in athletes is proposed.

The Effects of Early Enteral Nutrition in Patients: A Role of Nutrition Support Team

PURPOSE: The study examined the effects of early enteral nutrition on the patients' length of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU), length of stay and mortality rate. METHODS: A retrospective design was employed with a total of 461 patients (mean age=69.9±15.6 years; 253 males; 208 females). They were divided into two groups according to when they received enteral feeding: an "early enteral nutrition" (EEN) group of 148 patients (32.1%) who received enteral feeding within 48 hours of their arrival at the hospital and a "delayed enteral nutrition" (DEN) group of 313 patients (67.9%) who received enteral feeding at some point after 48 hours of their arrival at the hospital. The EEN group and control group were similar in terms of age, sex, body mass index, and underlying diseases. RESULTS: The EEN group's total length of stay in hospital was shorter (23.29±27.19 days) than that of the control group (36.74±32.24 days); the difference was significant (P<0.001). The EEN group also showed a shorter length of stay in the ICU (13.67±22.77 days) than the DEN group (17.46±21.02 days) and a lower mortality rate (17.6%) than the control group (18.8%), but these differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: The study found that early enteral nutrition treatment reduced total length of stay in hospital significantly. The findings suggest that early enteral nutrition treatment plays an important role in the patients' recovery and prognosis.

Energy expenditure measurement of various physical activity and correlation analysis of body weight and energy expenditure in elementary school children / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: There is a lack of data on the energy cost of children's everyday activities, adult values are often used as surrogates. In addition, the influence of body weight on the energy cost of activity when expressed as metabolic equivalents (METs) has not been vigorously explored. METHODS: In this study 20 elementary school students 9~12 years of age completed 18 various physical activities while energy expenditure was measured continuously using a portable telemetry gas exchange system (K4b2, Cosmed, Rome, Italy). RESULTS: The average age was 10.4 years and the average height and weight was 145.1 cm and 43.6 kg, respectively. Oxygen consumption (VO2), energy expenditure and METs at the time of resting of the subjects were 5.41 mL/kg/min, 1.44 kcal/kg/h, and 1.5 METs, respectively. METs values by 18 physical activities were as follows: Homework and reading books (1.6 METs), playing game with a mobile phone or video while sitting (1.6 METs), watching TV while sitting on a comfortable chair (1.7 METs), playing video game or mobile phone game while standing (1.9 METs), sweeping a room with a broom (2.7 METs) and playing a board game (2.8 METs) belong to light intensity physical activities. By contrary, speedy walking and running were 6.6 and 6.7 METs, respectively, which belong to high intensity physical activities over 6.0 METs. When the effect of body weight on physical activity energy expenditure was determined, R2 values increased with 0.116 (playing a game at sitting), 0.176 (climbing up and down stairs), 0.246 (slow walking), and 0.455 (running), which showed that higher activity intensity increased explanation power of body weight on METs value. CONCLUSION: This study is important for direct evaluation of energy expenditure by physical activities of children, and it could be used directly for revising and complementing the existing activity classification table to fit for children.

Thermic Effect of Food, Macronutrient Oxidation Rate and Satiety of Medium-chain Triglyceride / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermic effects, the macronutrient oxidation rates and the satiety of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). METHODS: The thermic effects of two meals containing MCT or long-chain triglycerides (LCT) were compared in ten healthy men (mean age 24.4 +/- 2.9 years). Energy content of the meal was 30% of resting metabolic rate of each subject. Metabolic rate and macronutrient oxidation rate were measured before the meals and for 6 hours after the meals by indirect calorimetry. Satiety was estimated by using visual analogue scales (VAS) at 8 times (before the meal and for 6 hours after meal). RESULTS: Total thermic effect of MCT meal (42.8 kcal, 8.0% of energy intake) was significantly higher than that (26.8 kcal, 5.1% of energy intake) of the LCT meal. Mean postprandial oxygen consumption was also significantly different between the two types of meals (MCT meal: 0.29 +/- 0.35 L/min, LCT meal: 0.28 +/- 0.27 L/min). There were no significant differences in total postprandial carbohydrate and fat oxidation rates between the two meals. However, from 30 to 120 minutes after consumption of meals, the fat oxidation rate of MCT meal was significantly higher than that of the LCT meal. Comparison of satiety values (hunger, fullness and appetite) between the two meals showed that MCT meal maintained satiety for a longer time than the LCT meal. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the possibility that long-term substitution of MCT for LCT would produce weight loss if energy intake remained constant.

Relationships among Serum Adiponectin, Leptin and Vitamin D Concentrations and the Metabolic Syndrome in Farmers / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among serum adiponectin, leptin and vitamin D concentrations and the metabolic syndrome in Korean farmers. 105 (26 males, 79 females) farmers (39~78 years, mean age 59.4 +/- 9.6 years) in Gangwon - area were included in this study. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical blood analysis of subjects were carried out. The prevalence of obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and hyper LDL-cholesterolemia, metabolic syndrome were 51.9%, 65.7%, 49.5%, 15.3%, 17.3%, 13.5%, 11.5% and 40.9%, respectively. Serum adiponectin and leptin levels (8.90 microg/ml and 12.6 ng/ml) of females were significantly higher than those (6.49 microg/ml and 4.88 ng/ml) of males. But there was no significant difference in 25(OH)vitamin D concentration between males (15.4 ng/ml) and females (16.9 ng/ml). In the subjects with metabolic syndrome, the adiponectin levels were significantly lower and leptin levels were significantly higher than those of the subjects without metabolic syndrome. Serum adiponectin level had positive correlations with HDL-cholesterol level (r = 0.325, p < 0.001), but showed negative correlations with triglyceride and fasting blood glucose concentrations, body weight and waist/hip circumference ratio (r = -0.202 ~ -0.317, p < 0.05). Serum leptin and 25(OH)vitamin D concentrations were positively correlated with body fat (kg, %) and BMI, waist and hip circumferences (r = 0.244 ~ 0.682, p < 0.001). The results of this study suggested that adiponectin and leptin levels could be credible indices to predict chronic diseases in farmers. However, further research on vitamin D should be carried out considering another factors.

The Measurements of the Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and the Accuracy of RMR Predictive Equations for Korean Farmers / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to measure the resting metabolic rate (RMR) and to assess the accuracy of RMR predictive equations for Korean farmers. METHODS: Subjects were 161 healthy Korean farmers (50 males, 111 females) in Gangwon-area. The RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry for 20 minutes following a 12-hour overnight fasting. Selected predictive equations were Harris-Benedict, Mifflin, Liu, KDRI, Cunningham (1980, 1991), Owen-W, F, FAO/WHO/UNU-W, WH, Schofield-W, WH, Henry-W, WH. The accuracy of the equations was evaluated on the basis of bias, RMSPE, accurate prediction and Bland-Altman plot. Further, new RMR predictive equations for the subjects were developed by multiple regression analysis using the variables highly related to RMR. RESULTS: The mean of the measured RMR was 1703 kcal/day in males and 1343 kcal/day in females. The Cunningham (1980) equation was the closest to measured RMR than others in males and in females (males Bias -0.47%, RMSPE 110 kcal/day, accurate prediction 80%, females Bias 1.4%, RMSPE 63 kcal/day, accurate prediction 81%). Body weight, BMI, circumferences of waist and hip, fat mass and FFM were significantly correlated with measured RMR. Thus, derived prediction equation as follow: males RMR = 447.5 + 17.4.Wt, females RMR = 684.5 - 3.5.Ht + 11.8.Wt + 12.4.FFM. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that Cunningham (1980) equation was the most accurate to predict RMR of the subjects. Thus, Cunningham (1980) equation could be used to predict RMR of Korean farmers studied in this study. Future studies including larger subjects should be carried out to develop RMR predictive equations for Korean farmers.

Assessment of Energy Intake and Physical Activity Level for Korean Farmers to Establish Estimated Energy Requirements during the Off-Season for Farmers / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to assess the physical activity level of Korean farmers to establish estimated energy requirements during the off-season. Subjects were 90 healthy males (n = 25) and females (n = 65). Body weight, height and body fat and muscles of subjects were measured. The prevalence of obesity among farmers was 56.7% according to the BMI. The farmers spent about 18 hours 7 minutes (75.5%) in sleeping and resting. The farmers spent about 19 hours 56 minutes (83.1%) out of 24 hours (one day) in "sedentary activities" and spent about 3 hours 56 minutes (16.4%) in "light activities". Physical activity level (PAL, activity coefficient) of female farmers was 1.42 which was not significantly higher than that (1.37) of male farmers. Estimated energy requirements (EER) for farmers who were different in age groups and gender were calculated. For example, the EERs for male and female farmers were 2190 kcal/day and 1712 kcal/day, respectively. The daily energy intakes of male and female farmers were 1803 kcal/day and 1610 kcal/day, respectively. The EER of male farmers was 2190 kcal/day which was significantly higher than that (1803 kcal/day) of the recommended daily energy intake of male farmers. The results of this study suggest that estimated EER of farmers should be modified according to seasonal workload and energy balance of farmers should be evaluated to prevent obesity.