Energy expenditure/basal metabolic rate ratios in normal and marginally undernourished Colombian children 6-16 years of age

Measurements of basal (BMR) and resting (RMR) metabolic rates, maintenance (MEE) and total daily energy expenditures (TDEE) have been made in Colombian children 6-16 years of age classified as nutritionally normal (boys, n = 129; girls, n = 72) and marginally undernourished (boys, n = 171; girls, n = 74). TDEE/BMR ratios were calculated for comparison with those suggested by FAO/WHO/UNU (1985) and to provide data for children less than 10 years of age. TDEE was measured in free-living, individually calibrated subjects by the heart-rate method. TDEE/BMR increased significantly with age in boys from 1.60 to 1.84 in control subjects and 1.46 to 1.92 in undernourished boys. There was no significant increase with age in the girls. There were no statistically significant differences between nutritional groups but girls had significantly lower values than boys. There was a greater rate of increase in TDEE than BMR with age and girls spent more time in light activities and less in high level activities than boys.