BACKGROUND: Critical evaluation of energy intake data from dietary studies is difficult but important. A simple approach has been suggested using minimum cutoff limits for the ratio of energy intake to basal metabolic rate as predicted from body weight (EI/BMR(est.)). This study investigates the potential of this particular approach in young subjects. METHODS: Energy intake during strictly controlled dietary intervention studies (2-6 weeks or 8 months) was compared with reported intake before the study started (7 days' weighed food records). Participants were 48 men and 22 women, 20-30 years. RESULTS: Mean EI/BMR(est.) values during the intervention study were 1.92 for men and 1.77 for women. Reported intakes before the study were only slightly lower (women 8%, P < 0.05, men 5%, P > 0.05). Two EI/BMR(est.) limits were tested. Smaller underestimations could be detected by applying calculated cutoff limits based on average EI/BMR(est.) values from the intervention studies instead of published limits assuming a low physical activity level (6% versus 22% underestimation of group intake). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that for the evaluation of energy intake of young adults it is more meaningful to use EI/BMR(est.) cutoff limits which assume a moderate, instead of a low, average physical activity level.
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Haraldsdóttir et al. (1994) studied this question.