Comparison of seasonal variation in the fasting respiratory quotient of young Japanese, Polish and Thai women in relation to seasonal change in their percent body fat

Abstract

BackgroundFrom the viewpoint of human physiological adaptability, we previously investigated seasonal variation in the amount of unabsorbed dietary carbohydrates from the intestine after breakfast in Japanese, Polish and Thai participants. In this investigation we found that there were significant seasonal variations in the amount of unabsorbed dietary carbohydrates in Japanese and Polish participants, while we could not find significant seasonal variation in Thai participants. These facts prompted us to examine seasonal variations in the respiratory quotient after an overnight fast (an indicator of the ratio of carbohydrate and fat oxidized after the last meal) with female university students living in Osaka (Japan), Poznan (Poland) and Chiang Mai (Thailand).MethodsWe enrolled 30, 33 and 32 paid participants in Japan, Poland and Thailand, respectively, and measurements were taken over the course of one full year. Fasting respiratory quotient was measured with the participants in their postabsorptive state (after 12 hours or more fasting before respiratory quotient measurement). Respiratory quotient measurements were carried out by means of indirect calorimetry using the mixing chamber method. The percent body fat was measured using an electric bioelectrical impedance analysis scale. Food intake of the participants in Osaka and Poznan were carried out by the Food Frequency Questionnaire method.ResultsThere were different seasonal variations in the fasting respiratory quotient values in the three different populations; with a significant seasonal variation in the fasting respiratory quotient values in Japanese participants, while those in Polish and Thai participants were non-significant. We found that there were significant seasonal changes in the percent body fat in the three populations but we could not find any significant correlation between the fasting respiratory quotient values and the percent body fat.ConclusionsThere were different seasonal variations in the fasting respiratory quotient values in the three different populations. There were significant seasonal changes in the percent body fat in the three populations but no significant correlation between the fasting respiratory quotient values and the percent body fat.

Ranking Renewable and Fossil Fuels on Global Warming Potential Using Respiratory Quotient Concept

“…(7) All C-H-O fuels having the same RQ will have the same CO 2 and O 2 % based on dry gas analysis at given equivalence ratio or excess air% (8) (B)…”

“…Similarly for manure anaerobic digestion gas with 60% CH 4 and 40% CO 2 , the C normalized empirical formulae is CH 2.4 O 0. 8 . Equation (8) shows that there are 8 unknowns for C-H-O fuel: ℎ, , , , , , , and .…”

“…8 . Equation (8) shows that there are 8 unknowns for C-H-O fuel: ℎ, , , , , , , and . Thus, 8 equations are needed to determine the unknowns.…”

“…It is seen that most solid fuels (pure carbon RQ = 1, biomass fuels RQ = 0.94-0.97, most sweet sorghum sources = 0.98 to 1.0 [29], coals RQ = 0.92-0.93, and animal wastes Figure 4 shows the plot for variation of "RQ" with H/C and O/C ratio of different fuels (see (8)). It is noted that renewable biomass fuels have a slightly higher RQ compared to coal.…”

“…Biology literature defines respiratory quotient (RQ) as the ratio of moles of CO 2 produced (or CO 2 eliminated) to stoichiometric oxygen (O 2 ) moles consumed typically during oxidation reaction, for example, oxidation of nutrients in the body. The RQ factor for fat, protein, and carbohydrates-the three basic nutrients (Table 1) of the body-are 0.7, 0.8, and 1, respectively [6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Thus, with measured CO 2 and O 2 in nasal exhaust one can determine RQ and determine which nutrient or a mixture of CH : F : P is being oxidized.…”