Author(s): Tennefors C; Coward WA; Hernell O; Wright A; Forsum E

Title: Total energy expenditure and physical activity level in healthy young Swedish children 9 or 14 months of age

Source: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION 57 (5): 647-653

Date: 2003 MAY

Document Type: Journal : Article

Language: English

LCR: 3   CR: 30   LCS: 2   GCS: 8

Comment:  

Address: Semper AB, SE-10546 Stockholm, Sweden.
Linkoping Univ, Dept Biomed & Surg, S-58183 Linkoping, Sweden.
MRC, Cambridge, England.
Umea Univ, Dept Clin Sci, S-90187 Umea, Sweden.

Reprint: Tennefors, C, Semper AB, SE-10546 Stockholm, Sweden.

Abstract: Objectives: To measure total energy expenditure (TEE) and total body water (TBW) in healthy Swedish children 9 or 14 months of age. To compare their TEE with current recommendations for energy intake. To define their body composition and relate this to energy expenditure. Design: Children were investigated at 9 or 14 months. The following variables were measured: TEE and TBW (by the doubly labelled water method), weight and length. Total body fat (TBF), sleeping metabolic rate, activity energy expenditure and physical activity level (PAL) were calculated. Subjects: Thirty infants 9 months of age and 29 children 14 months of age. Results: TEE was 323 38, 322 29, 313 23 and 331 +/- 28 kJ/kg/day in 9-month-old girls, 9-month-old boys, 14-month-old girls and 14-month-old boys, respectively. At 9 months of age girls and boys contained 29.6 +/- 4.8 and 29.7 +/- 4.5% TBF, respectively. At 14 months the corresponding figures were 29.1 +/- 4.3 and 28.2 +/- 4.3%. There was a significant negative relationship between PAL and %TBF (r = -0.81, P < 0.001, n = 59). Conclusions: Measured TEE plus calculated energy cost of growth confirm previous estimates that the physiological energy requirements of children 9 and 14 months of age are 15-20% lower than current recommendations for energy intake. One possible interpretation of the relationship between PAL and %TBF is that children with a high TBF content are less physically active than children with less TBF. However, this relationship needs further studies.