ABSTRACT

Thirteen normal healthy female adults aged 21 to 32 years participated in an energy balance study while they consumed their habitual diet at two energy levels (33.8±2.96 and 48.4±3.7 kcal/kg/day) and a protein level of 0.47g protein/kg/day. The physical activity of the subjects was closely monitored and kept fairly constant. Energy balance calculated from the gross energy intake, energy excreted (urine, feces and sweat) and expenditure on activity was affected considerably by the level of the gross energy intake. Energy balances were -6.3512.57 and +7.31±2.24 kcal/kg/day for the low and high energy intakes respectively. Energy balance improved by a factor of 0.9410.1 for every kcal/kg rise in gross energy intake. Mean energy requirement to achieve energy balance in all the subjects was estimated at 40.311.4 kcal/kg body weight.