Estimating energy expenditure from the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity and Tecumseh Occupational Activity questionnaires - A doubly labeled water validation

An accurate, simple method for assessing energy expenditure in individuals and in free-living populations continues to be elusive. To compare estimates of energy expenditure (EE) from a combination of two previously validated physical activity questionnaires: Tecumseh Occupational (EE_TEC) and a 4-wk history version of the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity that included household activities (EE_MNLTPA) and EE from sleep (EE_SLEEP), to EE obtained from doubly labeled water (EE_DLW). We studied free-living males (n = 24) eating a controlled diet designed to maintain body weight and determined EE from doubly labeled water (DLW) during 14 days and EE from physical activity instruments used in epidemiological studies (EE_TEC and EE_MNLTPA). There was excellent agreement between EE_DLW (mean ± SEM, 13.55 ± 0.38 MJ/d) and EE_TEC + EE_MNLTPA + EE_SLEEP (EE_TOTAL1) (13.79 ± 0.89 MJ/d) with a difference of only 1.0% ± 5.4%. When the EE from watching TV, reading, and childcare activities was added the total EE (EE_TOTAL2) (14.87 ± 0.90 MJ/D) overestimated EE_DLW by 8.9% ± 5.4%. Both of these estimates of EE had significant regressions against EE_DLW (EE_TEC + EE_MNLTPA + EE_SLEEP, R² = 0.38, P < 0.001; EE_TOTAL2, R² = 0.39, P < 0.001). Men whose occupations involved significant intermittent moderate activity had the largest disagreement between EE_DLW and estimates from the questionnaires. This investigation demonstrates that a combination of previously validated physical activity questionnaires can be used to accurately determine the mean energy expenditure of a population of employed males.