Ability of the Harris-Benedict formula to predict energy requirements differs with weight history and ethnicity

Crystal C. Douglas; Jeannine C. Lawrence; Nikki C. Bush; Robert A. Oster; Barbara A. Gower; Betty E. Darnell

doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2007.01.016

Ability of the Harris-Benedict formula to predict energy requirements differs with weight history and ethnicity

Crystal C. Douglas, Jeannine C. Lawrence, Nikki C. Bush, Robert A. Oster, Barbara A. Gower, Betty E. Darnell

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of weight history status and ethnicity on the ability of the Harris-Benedict (HB) formula to (1) predict measured resting energy expenditure (REE) and (2) accurately estimate energy needs over a 2-week test period. Subjects were never-overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≤25 kg/m², n = 47), overweight (BMI 27-30 kg/m², n = 170), and weight-reduced (BMI ≤25 kg/m², n = 51) healthy, adult African American and white women. Food was provided for 2 weeks at an energy level calculated using the HB formula multiplied by a 1.35 activity factor. After 2 weeks, weight, REE (by indirect calorimetry), and body composition (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) were assessed. Data were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance at P < .05 significance. The HB formula overestimated REE (1) in each weight history group (by 669 ± 523 kJ among never overweight, 1234 ± 791 kJ among overweight, and 439 ± 565 kJ among weight reduced) such that there was a group effect on overestimation (P < .001) and (2) between ethnicities, with a greater overestimation in African American versus white subjects (P < .001). There was a significant effect of weight history group on weight change (P < .001) over 2 weeks, such that weight-reduced women gained more weight than the other 2 groups (P < .05). In conclusion, the ability of the HB formula to estimate REE differed with weight history status and ethnicity. The accuracy of the HB formula to predict dietary energy needs was affected by weight history status. These results suggest that formulas used to calculate energy needs should take into account weight history and ethnicity.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	194-199
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nutrition Research
Volume	27
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2007.01.016
State	Published - Apr 2007
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Ethnicity
Harris-Benedict
Overweight
Resting energy expenditure
Weight change
Women

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Endocrinology
Nutrition and Dietetics

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10.1016/j.nutres.2007.01.016

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@article{56b9f55fe1a2484683294b1eafd435da,

title = "Ability of the Harris-Benedict formula to predict energy requirements differs with weight history and ethnicity",

abstract = "The objective of this study was to assess the effects of weight history status and ethnicity on the ability of the Harris-Benedict (HB) formula to (1) predict measured resting energy expenditure (REE) and (2) accurately estimate energy needs over a 2-week test period. Subjects were never-overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≤25 kg/m2, n = 47), overweight (BMI 27-30 kg/m2, n = 170), and weight-reduced (BMI ≤25 kg/m2, n = 51) healthy, adult African American and white women. Food was provided for 2 weeks at an energy level calculated using the HB formula multiplied by a 1.35 activity factor. After 2 weeks, weight, REE (by indirect calorimetry), and body composition (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) were assessed. Data were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance at P < .05 significance. The HB formula overestimated REE (1) in each weight history group (by 669 ± 523 kJ among never overweight, 1234 ± 791 kJ among overweight, and 439 ± 565 kJ among weight reduced) such that there was a group effect on overestimation (P < .001) and (2) between ethnicities, with a greater overestimation in African American versus white subjects (P < .001). There was a significant effect of weight history group on weight change (P < .001) over 2 weeks, such that weight-reduced women gained more weight than the other 2 groups (P < .05). In conclusion, the ability of the HB formula to estimate REE differed with weight history status and ethnicity. The accuracy of the HB formula to predict dietary energy needs was affected by weight history status. These results suggest that formulas used to calculate energy needs should take into account weight history and ethnicity.",

keywords = "Ethnicity, Harris-Benedict, Overweight, Resting energy expenditure, Weight change, Women",

author = "Douglas, {Crystal C.} and Lawrence, {Jeannine C.} and Bush, {Nikki C.} and Oster, {Robert A.} and Gower, {Barbara A.} and Darnell, {Betty E.}",

note = "Funding Information: We express our gratitude to the UAB GCRC metabolic kitchen staff who packaged the meals for the study participants. We acknowledge the late Roland L Weinsier who was largely responsible for the study design. We appreciate the assistance of Gary Hunter. This study was supported by NIH grants R01-DK49779 and R01-DK51684, GCRC grant M01-RR00032, and Clinical Nutrition Research Center grant P30-DK-56336. Nestl{\'e} Food Co (Solon, Ohio) generously supplied Stouffer's Lean Cuisine entr{\'e}es. Weight Watchers (Pittsburgh, Pa) generously supplied Smart Ones entr{\'e}es.",

year = "2007",

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doi = "10.1016/j.nutres.2007.01.016",

language = "English (US)",

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pages = "194--199",

journal = "Nutrition Research",

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AU - Douglas, Crystal C.

AU - Lawrence, Jeannine C.

AU - Bush, Nikki C.

AU - Oster, Robert A.

AU - Gower, Barbara A.

AU - Darnell, Betty E.

N1 - Funding Information: We express our gratitude to the UAB GCRC metabolic kitchen staff who packaged the meals for the study participants. We acknowledge the late Roland L Weinsier who was largely responsible for the study design. We appreciate the assistance of Gary Hunter. This study was supported by NIH grants R01-DK49779 and R01-DK51684, GCRC grant M01-RR00032, and Clinical Nutrition Research Center grant P30-DK-56336. Nestlé Food Co (Solon, Ohio) generously supplied Stouffer's Lean Cuisine entrées. Weight Watchers (Pittsburgh, Pa) generously supplied Smart Ones entrées.

PY - 2007/4

Y1 - 2007/4

N2 - The objective of this study was to assess the effects of weight history status and ethnicity on the ability of the Harris-Benedict (HB) formula to (1) predict measured resting energy expenditure (REE) and (2) accurately estimate energy needs over a 2-week test period. Subjects were never-overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≤25 kg/m2, n = 47), overweight (BMI 27-30 kg/m2, n = 170), and weight-reduced (BMI ≤25 kg/m2, n = 51) healthy, adult African American and white women. Food was provided for 2 weeks at an energy level calculated using the HB formula multiplied by a 1.35 activity factor. After 2 weeks, weight, REE (by indirect calorimetry), and body composition (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) were assessed. Data were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance at P < .05 significance. The HB formula overestimated REE (1) in each weight history group (by 669 ± 523 kJ among never overweight, 1234 ± 791 kJ among overweight, and 439 ± 565 kJ among weight reduced) such that there was a group effect on overestimation (P < .001) and (2) between ethnicities, with a greater overestimation in African American versus white subjects (P < .001). There was a significant effect of weight history group on weight change (P < .001) over 2 weeks, such that weight-reduced women gained more weight than the other 2 groups (P < .05). In conclusion, the ability of the HB formula to estimate REE differed with weight history status and ethnicity. The accuracy of the HB formula to predict dietary energy needs was affected by weight history status. These results suggest that formulas used to calculate energy needs should take into account weight history and ethnicity.

AB - The objective of this study was to assess the effects of weight history status and ethnicity on the ability of the Harris-Benedict (HB) formula to (1) predict measured resting energy expenditure (REE) and (2) accurately estimate energy needs over a 2-week test period. Subjects were never-overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≤25 kg/m2, n = 47), overweight (BMI 27-30 kg/m2, n = 170), and weight-reduced (BMI ≤25 kg/m2, n = 51) healthy, adult African American and white women. Food was provided for 2 weeks at an energy level calculated using the HB formula multiplied by a 1.35 activity factor. After 2 weeks, weight, REE (by indirect calorimetry), and body composition (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) were assessed. Data were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance at P < .05 significance. The HB formula overestimated REE (1) in each weight history group (by 669 ± 523 kJ among never overweight, 1234 ± 791 kJ among overweight, and 439 ± 565 kJ among weight reduced) such that there was a group effect on overestimation (P < .001) and (2) between ethnicities, with a greater overestimation in African American versus white subjects (P < .001). There was a significant effect of weight history group on weight change (P < .001) over 2 weeks, such that weight-reduced women gained more weight than the other 2 groups (P < .05). In conclusion, the ability of the HB formula to estimate REE differed with weight history status and ethnicity. The accuracy of the HB formula to predict dietary energy needs was affected by weight history status. These results suggest that formulas used to calculate energy needs should take into account weight history and ethnicity.

KW - Ethnicity

KW - Harris-Benedict

KW - Overweight

KW - Resting energy expenditure

KW - Weight change

KW - Women

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Ability of the Harris-Benedict formula to predict energy requirements differs with weight history and ethnicity

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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