Caloric and selected nutrient intakes and estimated energy expenditures for adult women: identification of non-sedentary women with lower energy intakes.

Dietary intakes and energy expenditures of healthy adult women were studied. Phase I (no. = 98): 37 women (38% of Phase one subjects) reported 3-day intakes of less than 1,600 kcal/day; low nutrient intakes were associated with less than 1,600 kcal/day for women who did not take supplements. Phase II (no. = 18): group mean energy expenditures assessed by activity diaries matched 7-day intake records for 8 women who had consumed greater than 1,800 kcal/day during Phase I but not for 10 women who had consumed less than 1,600 kcal/day during Phase I. Phase III: duplicate food composites and records supported previous intake records. The data from this study suggest that some non-sedentary women maintain consistently low energy/nutrient intakes and that calculation of energy expenditure from standard tables is not appropriate for those women.