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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Mar;155(3):862-870.
doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.013. Epub 2025 Jan 13.

Influence of Ambient Temperature on Resting Energy Expenditure in Metabolically Healthy Males and Females

Sara Henkel  1 , Petra Frings-Meuthen  2 , Christina Diekmann  1 , Martin Coenen  3 , Birgit Stoffel-Wagner  3 , Robert Németh  4 , Dominik Pesta  5 , Sarah Egert  6
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Influence of Ambient Temperature on Resting Energy Expenditure in Metabolically Healthy Males and Females

Sara Henkel et al. J Nutr. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Background: It is not yet clear to what extent the physiologic regulatory mechanisms that maintain core body temperature are reflected by changes in resting energy expenditure (REE). Particularly, in indirect calorimetry with a canopy, the effects of short-term temperature exposures have not yet been investigated. This can be of relevance for the determination of REE in practice.

Objectives: This randomized crossover study investigated the influence of a 30-min exposure to 18 °C (cool room temperature), 22 °C (room temperature), 28 °C (thermoneutral zone), and 38 °C (heat) on REE determined by assessing the inhaled oxygen volume and the exhaled carbon dioxide volume via indirect calorimetry on 4 consecutive days.

Methods: In total, 32 metabolically healthy participants [16 males and 16 females, age: 25 ± 3 y, body mass index (BMI): 22.4 ± 1.6 kg/m2] were included in the study after screening examination.

Results: Lean body mass, ambient temperature, and heart rate were the most important determinants (all P < 0.001) and explained 61.3% of the variance in REE. A multivariate linear mixed model analysis revealed that lean mass (15.87 ± 3.66; P < 0.001) and ambient temperature (P = 0.001) significantly influenced REE. REE significantly differed between 18 and 28 °C (18 °C: +96 ± 24 kcal/24 h; P < 0.001), 22 and 28 °C (22 °C: +73 ± 24 kcal/24 h; P = 0.003), and 18 and 38 °C (18 °C: +57 ± 23 kcal/24 h; P = 0.016).

Conclusions: Effects of ambient temperature on REE, especially cold, are detectable after only brief exposure, emphasizing the importance of performing indirect calorimetry with a canopy under controlled environmental conditions. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05505240 (Influence of Ambient Temperature on Resting Energy Expenditure of Healthy Adults - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov).

Keywords: REE; RMR; ambient temperature; body core temperature; heart frequency; heart rate; heat; mild cold; resting energy expenditure; resting metabolic rate.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flowchart of participant recruitment.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
REE (kcal/24 h) of the subjects at 18, 22, 28, and 38 °C. REE, resting energy expenditure.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Percentage deviation of REE at different ambient temperatures compared with that at 28 °C. (Values are presented as mean ± SEM). ∗The difference is significant at a significance level of α = 0.05. REE, resting energy expenditure.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
REE (kcal/24 h) of the subjects at 18, 22, 28, and 38 °C subdivided according to sexes. ∗Outliers. REE, resting energy expenditure.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Boxplots of heart rate (absolute values) at different ambient temperatures. ∗Outliers.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Boxplots of body core temperature at different ambient temperatures. ∗Outliers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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