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Doubly labelled water: Multi-point and two-point methods in pre-school children
Kurosh Djafarian1, Diane M Jackson, Eric Milne
1Aberdeen Centre for Energy Regulation and Obesity, Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
The multi-sample and two-sample methods for measuring total energy expenditure (TEE) using doubly labelled water (DLW) in pre-school children yield similar results. The two-sample method is cost-effective for population studies, while the multi-sample method offers greater precision for individual assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition and Metabolism
- Human Physiology
- Biomarker Analysis
Background:
- Accurate measurement of total energy expenditure (TEE) is crucial for understanding energy balance in children.
- Doubly labelled water (DLW) is a gold standard method for assessing TEE in free-living conditions.
- Different sampling strategies (multi-point vs. two-point) exist for DLW analysis, with potential implications for accuracy and cost.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy and precision of multi-sample and two-sample DLW methods for measuring TEE in pre-school children.
- To determine if multiple sampling offers advantages over the two-sample method in free-living settings.
- To evaluate the relationship between body composition and TEE estimates from both methods.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-five pre-school children (aged 2-6 years) participated in the study.
- Total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured over 7 and 14 days using both multi-point and two-point DLW methods.
- Total body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Main Results:
- No significant difference was found in mean TEE between the multi-point and two-point DLW methods.
- TEE estimates were consistent regardless of sampling technique or measurement duration (7 vs. 14 days).
- The multi-point method showed a stronger association with fat-free mass (FFM) over 14 days compared to the two-point method.
Conclusions:
- Both multi-point and two-point DLW methods provide comparable daily TEE measurements in pre-school children.
- The two-sample method is a cost-effective choice for population-level TEE studies.
- The multi-point method demonstrates superior accuracy and precision, particularly when assessing individual energy expenditure and its relation to body composition.
