Energy expenditure of young Swazi women as measured by the doubly-labelled water method
Huss-Ashmore, R.; Goodman, J.L.; Sibiya, T.E.; Stein, T.P.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 43(11): 737-748
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0954-3007 PMID: 2627923 Document Number: 332759
The energy expenditure of a group of young (18 to 28 years old) Swazi women resident at an agricultural college was measured using the doubly-labelled water (DLW) method. This was a baseline study to evaluate feasibility of the protocol in field conditions in Swaziland and to estimate energy needs of sedentary women in well-controlled conditions. Measurements were based on saliva samples collected during 10-days using the two-pair method. Two pairs of data points (days 2 to 9 and 3 to 10) were used to calculate expenditure. The two sets of data points were within 2.5% of each other. Dietary intake was measured by self-report diaries for 5 study days and was not significantly different from the DLW measurements. Daily energy expenditure was on average 1735 kcal and 44 kcal/kg fat-free mass, lower than other groups similarly measured. Intake was on average 1738 kcal daily. Low levels of expenditure observed probably reflect inactivity.