Energy expenditure from minute-by-minute heart-rate recording: comparison with indirect calorimetry

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and energy expended in activity (EAC) were estimated by the minute-by-minute heart-rate method in 22 (16 men, 6 women) individually calibrated subjects and compared with values obtained by whole-body indirect calorimetry. Subjects followed four activity protocols during the 22 h in the calorimeter; no exercise (n = 6) and 2 (n = 5), 4 (n = 4), and 6 (n = 6) 30-min bouts of exercise on a bicycle ergometer at varying intensities. There were no statistically significant differences between the two methods in TDEE or EAC in any of the sex or protocol groupings. The regression of TDEE by heart rate on TDEE in the calorimeter was y = 0.92x + 1.0 MJ; (r = 0.87, SEE = 0.91 MJ). The heart-rate method also follows the varying activity patterns of individuals and can be used to closely estimate the TDEE and EAC of even small (n = 4-6) groups of subjects. In the present measurements, it gave a maximum error of TDEE for individuals of +20% and -15%.