Using the doubly labeled water method (DLW), we determined total energy expenditure (TEE) under free-living conditions in 23 rural Bolivian Aymara (males and females aged 4-65), natives of a small, high-altitude (4000-4100 m), rural agropastoral community in the Andes mountains. In the adults (18-65 y of age), mean TEEs for males and females were 11.1 +/- 1.8 MJ/24 h (range: 9.3-14.1) and 9.8 +/- 0.9 MJ/24 h (8.8-11.3). Non basal energy expenditure expressed as TEE relative to basal energy expenditure (TEE:RMR) and as the difference between TEE and RMR per unit of weight [(TEE-RMR)/wt] showed no significant sex differences. TEE:RMR in the adults (2.00 +/- 0.21) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that of adolescents and children (1.67 +/- 0.25), but the mean (TEE-RMR)/wt values were similar in children, adolescents, and adults. Significantly high RMR:FFM values in children and adolescents, reflecting a curvilinear relation of RMR and FFM, have enlarged the differences in TEE:RMR by age groups. When compared with other DLW studies for free-living nonobese adults, the RMR of adult Aymara subjects normalized by the ratio method (RMR:FFM) and by the regression-based method (RMR adjusted with FFM as the covariate) was not significantly different from that observed in subjects living in low altitudes. As compared to FAO/WHO/UNU (1985) recommendations, activity levels were classified as heavy for the adult females and moderate-heavy for the adult males. Energy requirements for maintaining everyday tasks in the Andean people are much higher than expected from the previous studies on food consumption.

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Prediction equations €or total body water (TBW) generally use weight and height as predictors, but their ability may be limited because they implicitly assume a constancy of TBW among individuals of similar body size. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of anthropometric dimensions in predicting TBW and body composition. TBW determined by doubly labeled water (DLW) dilution techniques was used as the frame of reference in 23 healthy Aymara subjects, P 6 5 years, in a rural community of the Bolivian Andes. Predictive performances of anthropometric variables for TBW were examined with multiple regression analyses. The generated equations were tested for cross-validity, using published data for U.S. adults. The resulting errors were compared with those of the published prediction equations of Mellits and Cheek (M&C) and Durnin and Womersley (D&W). The simplified prediction equation using weight and the triceps skinfold (Eq-A1: R2 = 0.989, SEE = 1.041 L) and that using weight and the triceps and subscapular skinfolds (Eq-A2: R2 = 0.990, SEE = 1.020 L) had better R2and smaller SEE than those using any combination of variables, weight, height, age, and sex. In the cross-validation sample, Eq-A1 and Eq-A2 demonstrated higher precision than the D&W and M&C equations. Evaluated by the method of Bland and Altman (mean difference t 2SD), prediction errors for fat mass and fat percent were 0.2 -t 2.8 kg and 0.4 2 5.2% in Eq-AS, 1.1 ? 3.5 kg, and 1.8-C 6.1% in Eq-A1, -2.4 2 3.6 kg and -3.4 2 5.1%) in D&W, and -2.3 ? 7.6 kg and -2.6 ? 10.3% in M&C. Significant underestimation of fat mass and sex differences in the biases were observed with D&W and M&C (P < 0.051, but not with Eq-A2. By including skinfold measurements, a single prediction equation for TBW was valid for males and females across different population samples.

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Effect of prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) on the glutathione (GSH) levels and lipid peroxidation in the fetal brain was examined. Pregnant ICR mice were injected with 3 mgHg/kg of MeHg on gestational day 12, 13 and 14 (G12-14). On the G14 or G17, the fetal brains were removed and their GSH levels and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) levels were determined. On the G17, GSH level of MeHg-treated fetal brain was significantly higher than that of the control brain; the TBARS level showed the similar trend but the difference was not significant. These results indicated that the prenatal MeHg treatment disturbed the normal GSH level in the fetal brain and warranted further investigation on the significance of this GSH perturbation.