Objective: To detect the basal metabolic rate( BMR) of overweight and obese adults in Beijing, to investigate the correlation of BMR with body composition and to find a better BMR estimated equation for overweight and obese adults in China.
Methods: The BMR and body composition were detected with indirect calorimetry and dual-energy Xray absorptiometry. The correlations of BMR with body composition were used by Pearson correlation test. The measured BMR data were compared with the estimated values of commonly used equations.
Results: The study involved 85 adults. The BMR of overweight and obese adults were significantly more than those of normal BMI( P < 0. 001). The BMR of obese people were significantly more than overweight( P = 0. 036). The measured BMR was significantly correlated with lean body mass( r = 0. 865; r = 0. 784) in overweight and obese adults. The measured BMR was negatively correlated with fat mass in overweightpeople, but not among the normal BMI and obese people. The BMR average bias of HENRY equation and LIU equation were less than 2%, respectively, the difference was not significant( P > 0. 05).
Conclusion: The BMR of overweight and obese people is higher than normal healthy people. The important factor affect BMR is lean body mass. The impact of fat mass on BMR is uncertain. HENRY equation and LIU( ≥18) equation are suitable for predicting BMR of overweight and obese people.
Keywords: basal metabolic rate; body composition; obesity; overweight.