Lean Body Mass as a Metabolic Reference Standard

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Abstract
Basal O2 consumption, body fat and lean body mass, plasma protein-bound iodine (PBI) and plasma cholesterol were measured in 48 college students, with a body fat range of 2.7-44.0% and a lean body mass range of 40-91 kg. Thyroid status, as measured by the PBI level, was normal in all subjects. The best metabolic reference standard was the lean body mass (correlation = 0.92). Other standards, such as surface area and body wt. may derive much of their validity from their correlation with lean body mass. From the linear regression equation relating basal O2 consumption and lean body mass, O2 consumption/min. may be predicted within [plus or minus] 22 ml. in 90% of cases from known values of lean body mass. The corresponding values for body wt. and surface area are [plus or minus] 31 and [plus or minus] 32 ml., resp. The influence of varying body fat content on the calculated metabolic rate based on both lean body mass and on surface area is discussed.