Estimated energy expenditure and physical activity patterns of adolescent distance runners

The purpose of this study was to examine the estimated total energy expenditure (TEE) and physical activity patterns of adolescent distance runners. Twenty-eight (20 male, 8 female) adolescent distance runners self-reported their daily physical activity with the Bouchard 3-d diary. Mean values for TEE, 57.4 +/- 11.6 and 51.0 +/- 9.8 kcal x kg(-1) x d(-1), and activity energy expenditure (AEE), 26.7 +/- 10.4 and 21.0 +/- 8.8 kcal x kg(-1) x d(-1), when expressed per kilogram body mass were not significantly different between males and females, respectively (P = 0.18). When expressed in absolute terms, TEE, 3609 +/- 927 and 2467 +/- 426 kcal/d, and AEE, 1688 +/- 746 and 977 +/- 269 kcal/d, were significantly higher in males than in females, respectively. The results document the energy expenditure and self-reported physical activity of adolescent distance runners and might be used to address recommendations for adequate dietary energy requirements in this group, which in turn is important for energy balance in the context of normal growth, health, and physical performance.