Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Calorespirometry: A Powerful, Noninvasive Approach to Investigate Cellular Energy Metabolism
09:08

Calorespirometry: A Powerful, Noninvasive Approach to Investigate Cellular Energy Metabolism

Published on: May 31, 2018

Practical utility and reliability of whole-room calorimetry in young children

Xanne Janssen1, Dylan Cliff, Anthony D Okely

  • 1Interdisciplinary Educational Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia. xj512@uowmail.edu.au

The British Journal of Nutrition
|September 20, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Whole-room calorimetry (WRC) is feasible in 4- to 6-year-old children, providing valuable insights into children's energy balance. This method allows for reliable resting energy expenditure measurements, even after a small meal.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Human Physiology
  • Metabolic Research

Background:

  • Understanding children's energy balance is crucial for addressing childhood obesity and metabolic disorders.
  • Whole-room calorimetry (WRC) offers precise energy expenditure measurements but its application in young children is limited by feasibility concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the feasibility and reliability of using whole-room calorimetry (WRC) in children aged 4–6 years.
  • To evaluate the impact of diet-induced thermogenesis on resting energy expenditure (REE) measurements in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • Forty children (4–6 years) underwent a graded activity protocol within a WRC.
  • Six children participated in resting protocols to assess diet-induced thermogenesis and REE reliability.
  • Refusal rates and data loss were quantified to determine practical utility.

Main Results:

  • Seventy-nine percent of participants provided acceptable data across all activity levels.
  • Resting energy expenditure (REE) measurements were similar after a 90-minute fast and an overnight fast (P=0.472).
  • Measured REE was significantly higher than predicted Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Schofield equation (P=0.024–0.042).

Conclusions:

  • Whole-room calorimetry (WRC) is a feasible and standardizable method for assessing energy expenditure in 4- to 6-year-old children when using a developmentally sensitive approach.
  • A small, standardized breakfast approximately 90 minutes prior to measurement has a minimal impact on REE.
  • WRC can provide reliable energy balance data in young children, advancing pediatric metabolic research.

More Related Videos

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Using a Combination of Indirect Calorimetry, Infrared Thermography, and Blood Glucose Levels to Measure Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Humans04:54

Using a Combination of Indirect Calorimetry, Infrared Thermography, and Blood Glucose Levels to Measure Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Humans

Published on: June 2, 2023

Related Concept Videos

Temperature Measurement Sites01:14

Temperature Measurement Sites

A thermometer measures body temperature. The common sites for measuring body temperature are the oral cavity, axillary region, temporal artery, and skin surface, such as the forehead, abdomen, and axilla. True core body temperature is assessed in the rectum, tympanic membrane, pulmonary artery, esophagus, and urinary bladder.
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...
Calorimetry01:19

Calorimetry

When objects at different temperatures are placed in contact with each other but isolated from everything else, they attain thermal equilibrium. A container that prevents heat transfer in or out is called a calorimeter, and the use of a calorimeter to make measurements is called calorimetry. Generally, these measurements involve heat or specific heat capacity. The term "calorimetry problem" is used for any problem where the specified objects are thermally isolated from their surroundings. An...
Assessing Body Temperature - Rectal01:27

Assessing Body Temperature - Rectal

Rectal temperature measurement is considered the most precise method for assessing core body temperature and typically registers higher than oral temperature. For adults, the rectal thermometer should be inserted 1 to 1.5 inches into the rectum to obtain the most accurate reading.
Follow these steps for rectal temperature assessment:
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and don clean gloves to prevent cross-infection.
Step 2: Position the patient in a side-lying position to better visualize the rectal...
Constant Pressure Calorimetry03:02

Constant Pressure Calorimetry

Calorimetry is a technique used to measure the amount of heat involved in a chemical or physical process or to measure the heat transferred to or from a substance. The heat is exchanged with a calibrated and insulated device called the calorimeter. Calorimetry experiments are based on the assumption that there is no heat exchange between the insulated calorimeter and the external environment. The well-insulated calorimeters prevent the transfer of heat between the calorimeter and its external...
Constant Volume Calorimetry02:41

Constant Volume Calorimetry

Calorimeters are useful to determine the heat released or absorbed by a chemical reaction. Coffee cup calorimeters are designed to operate at constant (atmospheric) pressure and are convenient to measure heat flow (or enthalpy change) accompanying processes that occur in solution at constant pressure. A different type of calorimeter that operates at constant volume, colloquially known as a bomb calorimeter, is used to measure the energy produced by reactions that yield large amounts of heat and...
Assessing Body Temperature - Oral01:14

Assessing Body Temperature - Oral

Here are the steps to accurately measure oral temperature using an electronic thermometer:
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
Gently slide the probe cover until a click is heard. This simple action prevents cross-contamination and ensures the correct placement of the probe cover.
Step 4:
Instruct the patient to open their mouth and place...