Toxicological Sciences, Vol 52, 87-94, Copyright © 1999 by Society of Toxicology
T Colin 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 <it>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/m<sup>2</sup>). 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.Keywords:
thermogenesis; energy intake; energy retention; obesity; body
mass index
ARTICLES
Energy balance: interpretation of data from rural China
Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing, PRC; Corresponding author; Fax: (607) 255-5489; E-mail: tcc1@cornell.edu
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