Assessment of Total Daily Energy Expenditure in College Girls Using the Caltrac Personal Activity Computer

The study was conducted to validate Caltract Personal Activity Computer against MSU Nutriguide Computer Program (Song et al., 1992) the FAO/WHO/UNU (1985) and ICMR (1990) equation methods for determining total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) in one hundred and fifty college girls (age 18–23 years; body weight 51.9 ± 0.6 kg; height 160.2 ± 0.5 cm and body mass index 20.2 ± 0.24 kg/m²). The basal metabolic rate (BMR) assessed by Caltrac, MSU Nutriguide, FAO/WHO/UNU and ICMR equation method was 1149 ± 5, 1322 ± 5,1253 ± 8 and 1197 ± 7 Kcal/day, respectively. Caltrac gave 4.1% lower values of BMR than by ICMR equation method. The TDEE calculated by the four methods was 1754 ± 8,1824 ± 9,1961 ± 16 and 1910 ± 11 Kcal, respectively. Caltrac gave 4.0, 8.9 and 11.7% lower values than that of Nutriguide, ICMR and FAO/WHO/UNU equation methods, respectively. Caltrac gave closer values of TDEE to that of MSU Nutriguide values. Since Nutriguide gave TDEE values based on age, height, weight and four levels of activity i.e. sleep, light moderate and heavy activities, so, Caltrac after calibration against MSU Nutriguide can be used for determining TDEE in the field studies.