INTRODUCTION: Different methodologies for estimating total energy expenditure (TEE) are currently used. OBJECTIVE: To know which tool is most useful to estimate TEE in healthy subjects: SenseWearArmband (SWA) or Harris-Benedict (HB). METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study in 32 volunteers. SWA was placed for 24 hours and TEE was estimated with HB and the activity factor calculated with a 24-h activity questionnaire. RESULTS: The difference between both estimates of TEE was 351.9 (95% CI 222.2 to 481.6) kcal/day (p < 0.001). This difference was associated with obesity, but not with sex. The value of ICC was 65.0% (95% CI 7.8% to 86.2%) being statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the estimation of the activity between both techniques [0.4 (CI 95% 0.1 to 0.7) hours (p = 0.007)]. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference in the estimation of TEE using HB and SWA has been found.
INTRODUCTION: Different methodologies for estimating total energy expenditure (TEE) are currently used. OBJECTIVE: To know which tool is most useful to estimate TEE in healthy subjects: SenseWearArmband (SWA) or Harris-Benedict (HB). METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study in 32 volunteers. SWA was placed for 24 hours and TEE was estimated with HB and the activity factor calculated with a 24-h activity questionnaire. RESULTS: The difference between both estimates of TEE was 351.9 (95% CI 222.2 to 481.6) kcal/day (p < 0.001). This difference was associated with obesity, but not with sex. The value of ICC was 65.0% (95% CI 7.8% to 86.2%) being statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the estimation of the activity between both techniques [0.4 (CI 95% 0.1 to 0.7) hours (p = 0.007)]. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference in the estimation of TEE using HB and SWA has been found.