Assessment of the energy expenditure of Belgian nursing home residents using indirect calorimetry

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the energy expenditure of Belgian nursing home residents using indirect calorimetry and compare the energy expenditure with energy intake.

Methods: Indirect calorimetry was performed in nursing home residents to estimate their basal metabolism. The basal metabolism was multiplied by a physical activity level coefficient and energy expenditure that was related to thermogenesis (i.e., 10% of the total amount of energy ingested over 24 h) was added. In this way, we obtained the total energy expenditure of each nursing home resident. The nutritional intake of each resident was calculated using the precise food-weighing method over a 3-d period. The difference between energy expenditure and consumption was calculated for each patient and the mean of the difference in the population was calculated. These quantitative variables were compared by means of analysis of variance.

Results: A total of 25 subjects were included in this study (88.1 ± 5.8 y; 84% women). The estimated mean basal metabolism was 1087.2 ± 163.2 kcal. The physical activity level was 1.29 ± 0.1 on average and the energy expenditure due to thermogenesis was 163.1 ± 28.9 kcal. Thus, the mean daily energy expenditure was 1575.2 ± 210.6 kcal, which was within the range of the actual calculated energy intake of the residents (1631.5 ± 289.3 kcal; P = 0.33).

Conclusions: The estimated energy intake of Belgian nursing home residents seems appropriate for their energy expenditure.

Keywords: Elderly; Energy expenditure; Indirect calorimetry; Nursing home.