BOD POD® versus Parvo Medics TrueOne® 2400 Canopy System for Determining Resting Metabolic Rate

Introduction: Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the measure of energy the body uses at rest. The Parvo Medics TrueOne® 2400 Canopy System is considered a “gold standard” system when measuring RMR. The BOD POD® estimates RMR using the Nelson Equation, which takes into account fat-free mass and fat mass. However, the accuracy of the BOD POD® RMR estimate compared to a gold standard is unknown. Purpose: This study sought to determine the accuracy of the BOD POD® RMR estimate with indirect calorimetry (i.e., Parvo Medics TrueOne® 2400 Canopy System). Methods: Thirty-one 18 to 21-year-old female college soccer players (mean ± SD: height, weight, and percentage body fat = 164.04 ± 4.14 cm, 65.12 ± 12.07 kg, 26.95 ± 6.46 %, respectively) attending a Midwest University performed both a BOD POD® test and a measured RMR via the Parvo Medics TrueOne® 2400 Canopy System. Results: A significant difference (p ˂ 0.001) for RMR was found between the BOD POD® and the Canopy System (1301.48 ± 152.67 kcal/day vs. 1540.23 ± 158.77 kcal/day, respectively). The BOD POD® on average underestimated RMR by 238.74 kcal/day. Conclusions: The BOD POD® is considered a gold standard for measuring percentage body fat, but not for estimating RMR. This study found the BOD POD® underestimates RMR on average by more than 200 calories per day compared to RMR measured via indirect calorimetry. Thus, caution is advised when using RMR estimates from the BOD POD®, especially if weight management is a goal.