Abstract
Body composition and resting metabolic rate (RMR) were measured in 4 spinal cord injured (SCI) paraplegic men. The level of lesion ranged from T4 to LI, and the duration of disability averaged 7.4 ± 3.3 (SEM) years. Hydrodensitometry was used to determine percent body fat, fat mass and lean body mass (LBM). RMR was measured following a 12-hour fast and 24 hours post-exercise using a ventilated hood. RMR was also predicted from LBM values based on the equation of Cunningham (1980). Results of the body composition measurements indicated a greater than average amount of body fat for men of this age group. RMR and LBM were significantly correlated (r = 0.98, p < 0.02). However, measured RMR values were lower than predicted in 3 of the 4 subjects, especially when LBM was relatively low. Further investigation into the relationship between LBM and RMR in SCI individuals is warranted using a larger sample size and with subjects representing a wide range of lesion level.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Bray G A, Atkinson R C 1977 Factors affecting basal metabolic rate. Progress in Food and Nutritial Science 2: 385–402.
Bulbulian R, Johnson R E, Gruber J J, Darabos, B 1987 Body composition in paraplegic male athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 19: 195–201.
Clarke K S 1966 Calorie costs of activity in paraplegic persons. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 47: 427–435.
Cooper I S, Rynearson E H, MacCarty C S, Power M H 1950 Metabolic consequences of spinal cord injury. Journal of Clinical Endorcinology 10: 858–870.
Cowell L L, Squires W G, Raven P B 1986 Benefits of aerobic exercise for the paraplegic: a brief review. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 18: 501–508.
Cunningham J J 1980 A reanalysis of the factors influencing basal metabolic rate in normal adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 33: 2372–2374.
Glaser R M 1985 Exercise and locomotion for the spinal cord injured. In: R J Terjung (ed) Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, vol 13. Macmillan, New York, pp 263–303.
Hubert H A, Feinleib, M, McNamara, P M, Castelli, W P 1983 Obesity as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A 26-year follow-up of participants in the Framingham heart study. Circulation 67: 968–977.
Keen H, Thomas B J, Jarrett R J, Fuller J H 1979 Nutrient intake, adiposity, and diabetes. British Medical Journal 1: 655–658.
Lussier L, Knight J, Bell G, Lohman T, Morris A F 1983 Body composition comparison in two elite female wheelchair athletes. Paraplegia 21: 16–22.
McArdle W D, Katch F I, Katch V L 1986 Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance, 2nd edn. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, p 507.
Mollinger L A, Spurr G B, El Ghatit A Z et al. 1985 Daily energy expenditure and basal metabolic rates of patients with spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 66: 420–426.
Ravussin E, Burnand B, Schutz Y, Jequier, E 1982 Twenty-four hour energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate in obese, moderately obese, and control subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 35: 566–573.
Rose H G, Schweitzer P, Charoenkul V, Schwartz, E 1987 Cardiovascular disease risk factors in combat veterans after traumatic leg amputations. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 68: 20–23.
Segal K R, Gutin, B, Nyman, A M, Pi-Sunyer, F X 1985 Thermic effect of food at rest, during exercise, and after exercise in lean and obese men of similar body weight. Journal of Clinical Investigation 76: 1107–1112.
Siri W E 1956 The gross composition of the body. Advances in Biological and Medical Physics 4: 239–280.
Stunkard A J, Penick S B 1979 Behavior modification in the treatment of obesity: The problem of maintaining weight loss. Archives of General Psychology 36: 801–806.
Tremblay A, Despres, J-P, Bouchard, C 1985 The effects of exercise-training on energy balance and adipose tissue morphology and metabolism. Sports Medicine 2: 223–233.
Tzankoff S P, Norris A H 1978 Longitudinal changes in basal metabolism in man. Journal of Applied Physiology: Respiratory, Environmental and Exercise Physiology 45: 536–539.
Weir J B 1949 New methods for calculating metabolic rate with special reference to protein metabolism. Journal of Physiology 109: 1–9.
Wilmore J H, Vodak P A, Parr R B, GirAndola R N, Billing J E 1980 Further simplification of a method for determination of residual lung volume. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 12: 216–218.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sedlock, D., Laventure, S. Body composition and resting energy expenditure in long term spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 28, 448–454 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1990.60
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1990.60
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Effect of self-guided training for the HandbikeBattle on body composition in people with spinal cord injury
Spinal Cord Series and Cases (2018)