Description of a human direct calorimeter, with a note on the energy cost of clerical work

Abstract

1. A heat-sink calorimeter, suitable for the measurement of energy expenditure in human subjects over periods up to 26 h, is described.2. The performance of the calorimeter is illustrated by a study of four normal subjects at rest or performing clerical work for a period of 7.5 h. Each condition was measured in duplicate in each subject. On the resting days the subjects were recumbent, and on the working days they were seated throughout the measurement period. Heart rate was monitored by infra-red telemetry and physical activity by an ultrasound movement detector. Urinary cortisol excretion was also measured as an indicator of stress.3. In each subject the mean heat loss on working days was higher than that on resting days: the increase ranged from 5.1 % to 16.7, with a mean value of 10.0% (P = 0.015). There was no significant difference between resting and working days in heart rate, physical activity or urinary cortisol excretion.4. The present study confirms that tiring clerical work has very little effect on 24 h energy expenditure.