Toxicological Sciences, Vol 52, 87-94, Copyright © 1999 by Society of Toxicology
TC Campbell and J Chen
Data used for this analysis are pertinent to the issue of energy balance
and body-weight control. They were obtained, in a comprehensive study of
human diet, lifestyle, and disease mortality, from 65 counties (130
villages, 6500 adults) of rural China (Chen et al., 1990). After adjusting
the food intake data to represent a reference male adult involved in the
least physical activity and representing the same body weight, total
calorie intake (40.6 kcal/kg body weight) was about 30% higher in China
when compared with an average adult American male (30.6 kcal/kg bw).
However, the body mass index for the Chinese male was about 25% lower (20.5
vs. 25.8 kg bw/m2). Diets in rural China were low in fat (14.5% of energy),
relatively low in protein (65.8 g/day), and high in fiber (33 g/day),
representing a diet unusually rich in plant- based foods (e.g., including
about 90% of the total protein). It is believed that the excess energy
intake among the Chinese is mostly attributed to their greater physical
activity. However, some unknown but significant, and probably difficult to
measure, amount could be due to increased energy expenditure associated
with non-post-prandial basal metabolism. This hypothesis is based, in part,
on evidence from experimental animal data from this and other laboratories
showing that laboratory rats fed diets comprised of substantially reduced
intakes of protein consume more energy, but gain less weight. They also
exhibit increased thermogenesis, due both to enhanced metabolic body heat
and to diet-driven physical activity, while sharply reducing blood
cholesterol concentrations and tumor development.
ARTICLES
Energy balance: interpretation of data from rural China
Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. tcc1@cornell.edu
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