Energy balance
The standard 1 MET value (3.5 mL O2/kg/min) significantly overestimates resting energy expenditure and total energy expenditure in overweight and obese individuals.
If you are overweight or obese, do not use the standard 1 MET value (3.5 mL O2/kg/min) to estimate your energy expenditure. It will significantly overestimate your resting energy expenditure (by ~20%) and total energy expenditure. Use BMI-specific correction factors or measured resting metabolic rate for more accurate calculations.
In a heterogeneous sample of 769 weight-stable and healthy adults (18–74 years of age, 35–186 kg), the 1 MET value of 3.5 mL/kg × min overestimated the actual resting VO2 value by an average of 35% and the 1 MET of 1 kcal/kg × h overestimated REE by 20% (18). Very recently, Wilms et al. (62) confirmed that the commonly used 1 MET value largely overestimated EE in overweight to obese individuals and produced BMI-specific MET correction factors.
Why this rating
Cites specific studies showing significant overestimation (35% and 20%) in heterogeneous samples.
Source
Assessment of Physical Activity and Energy Expenditure: An Overview of Objective Measures
Andrew P. Hills et al. · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2014
DOI 10.3389/fnut.2014.00005
More from this paper
- Doubly labeled water (DLW) is the criterion gold standard for assessing total energy expenditure (TEE) in free-living individuals, but it does not provide information on activity type, intensity, or duration.Strong
- Heart rate monitoring provides a convenient and relatively inexpensive objective measure of energy expenditure, but its accuracy is limited by inter-individual variability in the HR-VO2 relationship and differences in movement efficiency.Good
Related findings · Energy balance
- Achieving a total body weight loss of 10-15% (or >10-15 kg) through Total Diet Replacement (TDR) induces remission of Type 2 Diabetes in individuals with short-duration disease.Strong
- Bariatric surgery is superior to medical management alone for inducing significant long-term weight loss, remission of type 2 diabetes, and reduction in mortality for patients with BMI ≥ 40 or ≥ 35 with comorbidities.Strong
- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →