COMPARISON OF RESTING ENERGY EXPENDITURE DETERMINED BY INDIRECT CALORIMETRY AND ESTIMATED BY PREDICTIVE FORMULAS IN WOMEN WITH OBESITY DEGREES I TO III

Introduction: The determination of resting energy expenditure (REE) is calculated in clinical practices by predictive formulas; however the result varies among the population due to several factors. Objective: To compare the REE determination by indirect calorimetry and by Harris-Benedict (HB), Mifflin (MF), World Health Organization (WHO), Institute of Medicine (IOM), "Formula Rapida" (FR) and Valencia (VA) formulas, in women with obesity grades I to III. Methods: Mexican mestizo adult women were included in the study and stratified in three groups according to their body mass index (BMI). Grade I obesity (BMI 30.0-34.9, n = 42), grade II (BMI 35.0-39.9, n = 38) and grade III (BMI > 40, n = 41). REE was determined by indirect calorimetry and by the aforementioned equations. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Dunn's test were used for statistical comparison and p < 0.05 was accepted as a statistical difference. Results: There were no statistical difference between the REE values estimated by formulas HB, WHO and VA regarding the CI. The accuracy obtained from these formulas was 63%, 67% and 64%, respectively, when data were analyzed in a single group. The IOM, ER and MF formulas showed statistically significant difference versus the CI and their accuracy were 58%, 53%, and 54%, respectively. In grade III obesity VA (78%) and FR (71%) accuracy were the highest obtained. Discussion: HB, WHO and VA formulas were the best to estimate REE in Mexican women with BMI > 30. In obesity grade III FR and VA formulas showed the best performance. (Nutr Hosp. 2013;28:357-364) DOI:10.3305/nh.2013.28.2.6188