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A new handheld device for measuring resting metabolic rate and oxygen consumption
David C Nieman1, Gregory A Trone, Melanie D Austin
1Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Health and Exercise Science, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA. niemandc@appstate.edu
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to test a new handheld device, the BodyGem (HealtheTech Inc., Golden, CO), that measures resting metabolic rate (RMR).
Subjects/Design:
Sixty-three adults (43 women, 20 men) (mean+/-SD, age 41.3+/-11.2 years and body mass index, 26.5+/-6.6 kg/m(2)) were tested during two separate sessions within a 2-week period, and, in each session, two BodyGem and two Douglas bag RMR measurements were made in a random and counterbalanced order.
Main Outcome Measures:
Resting oxygen consumption and energy expenditure.
Statistical Analyses Performed:
A 2 (methods) x 4 (time points) repeated measures ANOVA, Pearson product-moment coefficients, Bland-Altman plots.
Results:
Within session reliability for measurement of O(2), consumption was high on both days for the BodyGem (r=0.97). During the 4 single tests, BodyGem and Douglas bag O(2) consumption values were significantly correlated (r=0.81-0.87), with SEEs ranging from 22 to 28 mL. min(-1). Mean O(2) consumption and RMR values for all 4 tests were 241+/-46 and 240+/-45 mL x min(-1) (r=0.91, SEE 18.7 mL x min(-1)) and 1,657+/-324 and 1,650+/-307 kcals x day(-1) (r=0.91, SEE 134 kcals x day(-1)) for the BodyGem and Douglas bag methods, respectively.
Applications/Conclusions:
These data indicate that the BodyGem is an accurate and reliable device for measuring oxygen consumption and calculating RMR during repeated tests within a day, single tests on separate days, or when measurements are averaged.