The average daily energy expenditure of elderly males and females.

The aim of this study was to report on the average daily energy expenditure by elderly males and females in their normal day-to-day activities. The study was based on an analysis of data collected over six months from daily diary recording of activities. The subjects, 82 males and 93 females, were non-institutionalized volunteers with a mean age of 68 years. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that there were no differences between males and females in total mean daily energy expended on Sporting activities. Females expended twice as much energy as males on Household Chores (F = 36.3,p < 0.001). Males expended over three times as much energy as females on gardening (F = 56.7, p < 0.001) and over seven times as much on Maintenance (F = 53.6, p < 0.001). There were also differences between males and females on energy expended while Walking (F = 6.1, p < 0.02) and on Miscellaneous activities (F = 6.3, p<0.05). It is concluded that sex stereotypical roles for activities required at younger ages are continued into old age. The implications of these findings for prescribing regular exercise in the elderly are discussed, indicating specific activities that might prove to be beneficial.