Comparison of total daily energy expenditure with dietary reference intakes values in a sample of urban, relatively active Brazilian adults: A doubly labeled water study.

Objective: This report aimed to describe the results of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) assessed by doubly labeled water (TDEE) and the adequacy of the dietary reference intakes (DRI) equations to estimate energy requirements (ER).

Methods: A cross-sectional and observational study in a convenience sample of 40 healthy Brazilian adults (≥20 years; 21 women) living in a tropical urban region. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) was measured by indirect calorimetry, TDEE was compared with ER using individual calculated physical activity level (PAL = TDEE/BMR) in its estimation.

Results: BMR (5043 ± 548 kJ/day in women and 6213 ± 656 kJ/day in men), TDEE (8372 ± 1324 kJ/day and 11 453 ± 1834 kJ/day), and PAL (1.66 ± 0.17 and 1.85 ± 0.30, respectively) were significantly higher in men. The ER significantly overestimated TDEE by 13.7 ± 8.3% and 12.7 ± 10.7% in women and men, respectively.

Conclusion: In the present sample of relatively active urban Brazilian subjects, the ER yielded inaccurate estimation of TDEE. More data from low- and moderate-income countries are necessary to develop accurate estimates of TDEE.