Relationship of resting energy expenditure to body composition and clinical health markers

848 sedentary, obese women (47±11 yrs, 92±18 kg, 163±7 cm, 45±4% body fat) were medically screened prior to participation in an exercise and weight loss program. Medical data and fasting blood samples were collected and a correlation analysis was used to examine relationships between resting energy expenditure (REE), body composition and serum markers of health and safety. Baseline REE levels were significantly (all p<0.001) correlated to systolic blood pressure (r=0.093), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.199) and resting heart rate (r=0.166) in addition to higher levels of body mass (r=0.666), DEXA fat mass (r=0.569), DEXA fat-free mass (r=0.694), DEXA % body fat (r=0.195),waist circumference (r=0.423) and hip circumference (r=0.549). In addition, REE values were positively correlated (p<0.001 to 0.010) to triglycerides (r=0.104), total cholesterol: HDL ratio (r=0.112), uric acid (r=0.130) and negatively correlated to HDL cholesterol (r= -0.161). REE levels were not correlated to total cholesterol (r= -0.03...