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Energy expenditure in children aged 1.5 to 4.5 years: a comparison with current recommendations for energy intake
P S Davies1, J Gregory, A White
1Infant & Child Nutrition Group, Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge, UK.
Insights
Total energy expenditure in young children is lower than previously estimated, suggesting reduced physical activity levels may be a factor. This study compared actual energy expenditure in children aged 1.5-4.5 years with recommended intake.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Human Physiology
- Energy Metabolism
Background:
- Current energy intake recommendations for children aged 1.5-4.5 years may not accurately reflect their actual energy expenditure.
- Understanding energy expenditure is crucial for assessing nutritional needs and growth in early childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare measured total energy expenditure (TEE) in children aged 1.5-4.5 years with existing UK recommendations for energy intake.
- To investigate potential discrepancies between estimated and actual energy needs in young children.
Main Methods:
- A community-based study involving 81 children aged 1.5-4.5 years in East Anglia and South East England.
- Total energy expenditure was accurately measured using the doubly labelled water technique.
- Measured TEE was compared against the 1991 UK recommendations for energy intake.
Main Results:
- Mean TEE values for boys were 359, 341, and 327 kJ/kg across age groups (1.5-2.5, 2.5-3.5, 3.5-4.5 years).
- Mean TEE values for girls were 347, 317, and 310 kJ/kg across the same age groups.
- Measured TEE was approximately 10% lower in boys and 12% lower in girls compared to current recommendations.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest that energy expenditure in young children is significantly lower than previously estimated.
- Reduced habitual physical activity levels, potentially due to secular changes, may explain the lower energy expenditure.
- These results indicate a need to re-evaluate energy intake recommendations for this age group.
Objective:
To compare measurements of total energy expenditure in children aged 1.5-4.5 years with current recommendations for energy intake.
Design:
Total energy expenditure was measured using the doubly labelled water technique and compared with 1991 UK recommendations for energy intake.
Setting:
Community-based study in East Anglia and South East England.
Subjects:
Ninety-three children aged 1.5-4.5 years recruited. Results available on 81 children.
Results:
Mean values for total energy expenditure for the boys were 359, 341 and 327 kJ/kg in the age groups 1.5-2.5, 2.5-3.5 and 3.5-4.5 years respectively. In the girls, mean values for total energy expenditure were 347, 317 and 310 kJ/kg in the age groups 1.5-2.5, 2.5-3.5 and 3.5-4.5 respectively. These values were approximately 12% and 10% below current recommendations for energy intake in girls and boys respectively.
Conclusion:
These data add to the growing literature that indicate that energy expenditure in young children is significantly below previous estimates. Secular changes in habitual levels of physical activity might be responsible for reduced levels of physical activity.