Descriptive epidemiology of energy expenditure in the UK: Findings from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008 – 2015

Abstract

Background Little is known about population levels of energy expenditure as national surveillance systems typically employ only crude measures. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) in the UK measures energy expenditure in a 10% subsample by goldstandard doubly-labelled water (DLW).Methods DLW-subsample participants from the NDNS (383 males, 387 females) aged 4-91yrs were recruited between 2008 and 2015. Height and weight were measured, and bodyfat percentage was estimated by deuterium dilution. ResultsAbsolute Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) increases steadily throughout childhood, ranging from 6.3 and 7.2 MJ/day in 4-7yr-old to 9.9 and 11.8 MJ/day for 14-16yr-old girls and boys, respectively. TEE peaked in 17-27yr-old women (10.9 MJ/day) and 28-43yr-old men (14.4 MJ/day), before decreasing gradually in old age. Physical Acitivty Energy Expenditure (PAEE) declines steadily with age from childhood (87.7 kJ/day/kg in 4-7yr olds) through to old age (38.9 kJ/day/kg in 71-91yr olds). Bodyfat percentage was strongly inversely associated with PAEE throughout life, irrespective of expressing PAEE relative to bodymass or fat-free mass. Compared to females with <30% bodyfat, females >40% recorded 28 kJ/day/kg and 17 kJ/day/kg fat-free mass less PAEE in analyses adjusted for age, geographical region, and time of assessment. Similarly, compared to males with <25% bodyfat, males >35% recorded 26 kJ/day/kg and 10 kJ/day/kg fat-free mass less PAEE.Conclusions This first nationally representative study reports levels of human energy expenditure as measured by gold-standard methodology; values may serve as reference for other population studies. Age, sex and body composition are main biological determinants of energy expenditure. Key messages:• First nationally representative study of human energy expenditure, covering the UK in the period 2008-2015 • Total Energy Expenditure (MJ/day) increases steadily with age thoughout childhood and adolescence, peaks in the 3 rd decade of life in women and 4 th decade of life in men, before decreasing gradually in old age • Physical Acitivty Energy Expenditure (kJ/day/kg or kJ/day/kg fat-free mass) declines steadily with age from childhood to old age, more steeply so in males • Bodyfat percentage is strongly inversely associated with physical activity energy expenditure

Descriptive epidemiology of physical activity energy expenditure in UK adults. The Fenland Study

“…Our results indicate that men accumulate higher levels of PAEE than women across all ages; a finding consistent with other descriptive studies [7,[22][23][24]. Men also accumulate higher levels of MVPA and expend more of their energy at higher intensities than women.…”

“…Among both men and women PA was lower in older individuals. Moreover, the levels and age-associated differences in PAEE demonstrated in Figure 1 are similar to that recently reported in UK nationally representative samples [7], and the age association remained significant in multivariable analysis (Table 2). Although PAEE and MVPA were highest in young adults, the pattern of association with age was quite different.…”

“…The copyright holder for this preprint (which was this version posted August 27, 2019. . https://doi.org/10.1101/19003442 doi: medRxiv preprint The levels of PAEE in the Fenland cohort are comparable to those reported in the nationally representative sample of the UK population studied with the gold-standard method of doubly labelled water in NDNS [7]. That study reported mean (SD) PAEE of 52 (20) and 47 17 not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.…”

“…Strengths of this study include individually calibrated combined heart rate and movement-based assessment of PAEE and underlying intensity in a large populationbased sample that compares well in terms of PAEE with a nationally representative sample measured by gold-standard measures (i.e. NDNS) [7]. The large sample allowed for detailed description of physical activity by several sociodemographic variables.…”

Diurnal profiles of physical activity and postures derived from wrist-worn accelerometry in UK adults

“…Movement and PAEE were both lower in the older age groups, a similar result to that observed in other population studies (2,32,33). We observed that older participants (60-65 age group) spend a large proportion of their time in postures that are similar to those with high BMIs, particularly in men.…”