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The Basal Metabolism of Normal College Women

Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Texas Technological College, Lubbock, Texas

The basal metabolism of 124 women ranging in age from 18 to 38 years was determined with a Benedict-Roth metabolism apparatus.

There was no significant variation between the age groups. The average basal metabolism of the subjects is 1304 Calories per 24 hours, 33.4 Calories per square meter per hour, or 0.95 Calories per kilogram per hour. The average deviations of the basal metabolism from the standards are — 7.6% from Harris-Benedict, — 8.0% from Dreyer, — 10.5% from Aub-DuBois and — 8.4% from Mayo.

The subjects of this study are larger in stature than those of any other group reported.

In comparing the results obtained on these subjects with those of comparable groups, the data do not differ consistently. The results of this study are usually intermediate between the highest basal metabolism reported (McKittrick, '36) and the lower ones (Coons, '31; Coons and Schiefelbusch, '32; Tilt, '30; Tilt and Walters, '35). The studies involving fewer subjects of a more limited age range are not statistically comparable. The differences cannot be attributed to altitude, however, since the data so far do not show any consistency. It is the opinion of the authors that any differences which may occur are the result of slight but significant differences in technique and interpretation of the data which various authors have made. Some of these may include: (1) whether the metabolism of a subject is determined on at least two different mornings before any of the figures are accepted as the basal metabolism; (2) the method of determining the oxygen line; (3) whether the lowest figure for oxygen consumption is used or some average of the figures; and (4) the care used in adjusting the subjects to the procedure. These and possibly other differences make it difficult to determine the significance of the variations found in the results of the various workers.