ARS | Publication request: Daily energy expenditure and physical activity measured in Parkinson's disease patients with and without weight loss

Submitted to: Annals of Neurology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 9, 2007
Publication Date: October 8, 2007
Citation: Delikanaki-Skaribas, E., Trail, M., Wong, W.W., Lai, E.C. 2007. Daily energy expenditure and physical activity measured in Parkinson's disease patients with and without weight loss [abstract]. Annals of Neurology. 62(S11):S42.

Technical Abstract: Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly exhibit weight loss, which investigators attribute to various factors, including elevated resting energy expenditure. We tested the hypothesis that daily energy expenditure (DEE) and its components, resting energy expenditure (REF) and physical activity (PA), are elevated with weight loss (WL) compared with weight stable (WS) PD patients. DEE and PA was measured in 10 PD WL patients and 10 PD WS patients using doubly labeled water (DLW), activity monitors (waist and wrist), and activity questionnaires. We evaluated energy intake (EI) with a 3-day food diary. There was no difference in DEE and PA between the WL and WS groups measured with DLW. There was no difference in the REE and EI between groups. The WL group had significantly higher activity than the WS group (p<0.042) only when measured with wrist activity monitors. DEE and PA, are positively related with caloric intake (r=0.548, p<0,05; r=0,563, p<0.01). Results suggest that weight loss in PD patients cannot be explained by increased DEE but is associated with excessive movements.