Article Text
Abstract
Overweight, energy expenditure and caloric intake are associated with an increased prevalence of asthma. To measure resting energy expenditure and calculate caloric intake of overweight adolescents with asthma and compare results with those of groups of well-nourished adolescents with asthma and overweight adolescents without asthma. Cross-sectional study with 69 adolescents aged 10 to 18 years divided into three matched groups. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric and body composition measurements. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure energy expenditure; caloric intake was estimated from dietary recalls. In each group, there were 23 adolescents (10 girls) aged 12.39±2.40 years. Results for each group (overweight adolescents with asthma; well-nourished adolescents with asthma; and overweight adolescents without asthma) were, respectively: Body mass index = 24.83±2.73 kg/m2, 19.01±2.10 kg/m2, and 25.35±3.66 kg/m2; resting energy expenditure (REE) = 1550.24±547.23 kcal/day, 1540.82±544.22 kcal/day, and 1697.24±379.84 kcal/day; estimated caloric intake = 2068.75±516.66 kcal/day, 2174.05±500.55 kcal/day, and 1673.17±530.68 kcal/day. REE between groups was not statistically different, not even after correction for lean mass and fat mass (f = 0.186; p = 0.831). Estimated caloric intake was greater than REE only in the group of adolescents with asthma. REE was not significantly different between groups. Estimated caloric intake was greater than REE in the group of adolescents with asthma.