Assessment and Prediction of Energy Expenditure: One-Mile Walks and Runs Among African American

Abstract

Among ethnicities, African Americans exhibit the highest prevalence of obesity. A more comprehensive grasp of energy expenditure while walking and running can be instrumental in managing and averting obesity. Regrettably, there is a scarcity of research dedicated to scrutinizing energy expenditure in African Americans during walking and running. Consequently, the primary objective of this study was to contrast energy expenditure disparities during a one-mile walk and run between African Americans of normal-weight and those classified as overweight. Additionally, the secondary aim was to formulate and validate a predictive equation for energy expenditure tailored specifically to African Americans. A total of 68 African American participants were involved in this study, comprising 21 individuals classified as normal-weight walkers, 27 as overweight walkers, and 20 as runners. Energy expenditure was assessed using indirect calorimetry. To compare energy expenditure across these groups, an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted, followed by a post hoc Scheffe test. Linear regression analysis was employed for predicting energy expenditure. Additionally, a dependent t-test and a Chow test were utilized for cross-validating the predictive equation. The findings revealed that runners exhibited significantly higher energy expenditure compared to normal-weight walkers. When energy expenditure was normalized to body weight, runners expended significantly more energy than both normal-weight and overweight walkers. However, when expressed relative to fat-free mass, normal-weight walkers expended less energy than runners and overweight walkers. A prediction equation tailored specifically for African Americans was formulated as follows: EE = 1.012 BW − 9.233 Gender (M = 1, F = 2) + 47.188. The results from cross-validation tests confirmed the validity of this equation. Consequently, we recommend the use of this energy expenditure prediction equation for calculating energy expenditure during one-mile walks or runs for African American adults, whether they fall within the normal-weight or overweight categories.