STUDIES OF THE ENERGY OF METABOLISM OF NORMAL INDIVIDUALS

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Abstract
The variability of basal metabolism, measured as standard deviation in cal. per sq. m. per hr. (DuBois) and as relative variability % of mean metabolism, has been studied for: 1, the total interindividual variability for subjects of the same sex and age; 2, the interindividual variability of mean metabolism for different subjects of the same sex and age; 3, the intraindividual variability of metabolism observed on different days, and 4, the intraindividual intradaily variability. The intraindividual variability was greater for [female][female] than for [male][male], but the interindividual variability of mean metabolism was greater for [male][male] than for [female][female]. The total interindividual variability in cal. per sq. m. per hr. as obtained from single detns. for numerous different individuals (of the same sex and age) was greater for [female][female] than [male][male]. This was because the intraindividual variability (which together with the interindividual variability of means makes up the total intraindividual variability) was enough greater for [female][female] to make the net result greater. These intraindividual and interindividual variabilities can be satisfactorily represented by the gaussian or "normal" curve. The trend of distr. of successive intradaily observations showed first a decrease, then an increase; their distr. around the daily means was not gaussian but was symmetrical, and the frequencies beyond specific deviations did not depart seriously from what would have been anticipated if the distr. had been gaussian.