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Do Hand-Held Calorimeters Provide Reliable and Accurate Estimates of Resting Metabolic Rate?

USDA, ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, California

Address reprint requests to: Marta Van Loan, Ph.D., FACSM, USDA, ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, University of California, 430 West Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616. E-mail: marta.vanloan{at}ars.usda.gov

This paper provides an overview of a new technique for indirect calorimetry and the assessment of resting metabolic rate. Information from the research literature includes findings on the reliability and validity of a new hand-held indirect calorimeter as well as use in clinical and field settings. Research findings to date are of mixed results. The MedGem instrument has provided more consistent results when compared to the Douglas bag method of measuring metabolic rate. The BodyGem instrument has been shown to be less accurate when compared to standard metabolic carts. Furthermore, when the Body Gem has been used with clinical patients or with under nourished individuals the results have not been acceptable. Overall, there is not a large enough body of evidence to definitively support the use of these hand-held devices for assessment of metabolic rate in a wide variety of clinical or research environments.

Key words: indirect calorimetry, methods, reliability, validity, portable instrument