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Total energy expenditure, body fatness, and physical activity in children aged 6-9 y

E J Ball1, J O'Connor, R Abbott

  • 1James Fairfax Institute of Paediatric Nutrition, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|September 22, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity may be linked to reduced physical activity. This study found that in boys, higher body fat percentage was associated with lower physical activity levels, but not in girls.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Human Physiology
  • Obesity Research

Background:

  • Rising global childhood obesity rates suggest a potential link to decreased physical activity.
  • Understanding energy expenditure and physical activity in pre-pubertal children is crucial for addressing this trend.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure total energy expenditure (TEE) using the doubly labeled water (DLW) method in pre-pubertal children.
  • To determine the relationship between physical activity, body fatness, and potential sex differences.
  • To investigate the proportion of TEE attributable to physical activity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the doubly labeled water (DLW) technique to measure TEE over 10 days in 106 healthy children (aged 7.8 ± 0.9 years).
  • Calculated resting energy expenditure (REE) using Schofield equations and derived fat mass from (18)O dilution space.
  • Determined physical activity level (PAL) as the ratio of TEE to REE (TEE/REE).

Main Results:

  • Mean TEE was significantly lower than recommended levels for both boys and girls.
  • No significant difference in physical activity level (PAL) was observed between boys and girls.
  • In boys, PAL was inversely correlated with BMI, fat mass, and body fat percentage; this correlation was not significant in girls.

Conclusions:

  • Body fat percentage is inversely associated with physical activity levels in boys, suggesting physical activity influences body fatness.
  • Additional factors beyond physical activity may influence fat storage in girls.
  • Findings highlight potential sex-specific relationships between physical activity and body composition in pre-pubertal children.
Abstract

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