Total Daily Energy Expenditure and Incidence of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Symptoms in Young Females

Abstract

A group of 31 young females, tennis players and non-athletes, aged 16 ± 2 years (range: 14 - 21 years), with a wide range of physical activity levels was used to investigate the relationship between total daily energy expenditure and the incidence of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms.

Methods: During a 12 week winter period, habitual daily activity (excluding training) was evaluated using a 3-day physical activity record. Tennis training was quantified using a validated method of estimating energy expenditure during play. Total daily energy expenditure was calculated from the sum of daily training plus mean habitual daily activity energy expenditures. The total group of subjects was divided in quartiles for total daily energy expenditure. A validated symptom checklist was used to assess the incidence and severity of upper respiratory tract infections, on a daily basis.

Results: The girls in the highest quartile of total daily energy expenditure (≥ 17 322 kJ/day) and in the lowest quartile (≤ 10 047 kJ/day) had the greatest incidence of URTI symptomatology, although the moderately active girls in quartile three (12 290 - 16 410 kJ/day) presented the lowest incidence. Significant differences in number of upper respiratory tract infection episodes, sickness days and symptomatology index were found between quartiles three and one (p < 0.05) and quartiles three and four (p < 0.01). Peak severity of symptoms was significantly lower in quartile three compared with all other quartiles (p < 0.05).

Key words

Physical activity - level - URTI - females - tennis

References

• 1 Ardawi M S, Newsholme E A. Metabolism in lymphocytes and its importance in the immune response.  Essays in Biochemistry. 1985;  21 1-43
• 2 Beare A S, Ree S E. The study of antiviral compounds in volunteers. In: Oxford JS (ed) Chemoprophylaxis and Virus Infections of the Respiratory Tract. Cleveland; CRC Press 1977: 27-55
• 3 Borg G. Borg's perceived exertion and pain scales. Champaign, IL; Human Kinectics 1988
• 4 Bouchard C, Tremblay A, Leblanc C, Lortie G, Savard R, Theriault G. Bouchard 3-day physical activity record.  Am J Clin Nutr. 1983;  37 461-467
• 5 Bruunsgaard H, Hartkopp A, Mohr T, Konradsen H, Heron I, Mordhorst C H, Pedersen B K. In vivo cell-mediated immunity and vaccination response following prolonged, intense exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;  29 1176-1181
• 6 Casey J M, Dick E C. Acute respiratory infections. In: Casey JM, Foster C, Hixson EG (eds) Winter Sports Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa; F.A. Davis, Co. 1990: 112-128
• 7 Daly J M, Reynolds J, Sigal R K, Shou J, Liberman M D. Effect of dietary protein and amino acids on immune function.  Crit Care Med. 1990;  18 S86-S93
• 8 Douglas D J, Hanson P G. Upper respiratory infections in the conditioned athlete.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1978;  10 55S
• 9 Going S, Davis R. Body composition. In: American College of Sports Medicine (ed) ACSM's resource manual for guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. USA; Williams & Wilkins 1998: 385
• 10 Green R L, Kaplan S S, Rabin B S, Stanitski C L, Zdziarski U. Immune functions in marathon runners.  Ann Allergy. 1981;  47 73-75
• 11 Heath G W, Macera C A, Nieman D C. Exercise and upper respiratory tract infections.  Is there a relationship? Sports Med. 1992;  14 353-365
• 12 Kono I, Kitao H, Matsuda M, Haga S, Fukushima H, Kashiwagi H. Weight reduction in athletes may adversely affect the phagocytic function of monocytes.  Physician Sportsmed. 1988;  16 56-65
• 13 Lange Andersen K, Masironi R, Rutenfranz J, Seliger V. Habitual Physical Activity and Health. WHO European Series 1978 6
• 14 Linde F. Running and upper respiratory tract infections.  Scand J Sport Sci. 1987;  9 21-23
• 15 Keast D, Cameron K, Morton A R. Exercise and the immune response.  Sports Med. 1988;  5 248-267
• 16 Keast D, Morton A R. Long term exercise and immune functions. In: Watson & Eisinger (eds) Exercise and Disease. Ann Arbor; CRC Press 1992: 89-120
• 17 Kono I, Kitao H, Matsuda M, Haga S, Fukushima H, Kashiwagi H. Weight reduction in athletes may adversely affect the phagocytic function of monocytes.  Physician Sportsmed. 1988;  16 56-65
• 18 Kostka T, Berthouze S E, Lacour J, Bonnefoy M. The symptomatology of upper respiratory tract infections and exercise in elderly people.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 46-51
• 19 Macera C A, Pate R R, Davis D R, Jackson K L, Woods J. Postrace morbidity among runners.  Am J Prev Med. 1991;  7 1-5
• 20 Mackinnon L T. Immunity in athletes.  Int J Sports Med. 1997;  18 S62-S68
• 21 Mackinnon L T, Hooper S. Mucosal (secretory) immune system responses to exercise of varying intensity and during overtraining.  Int J Sports Med. 1994;  15 S179-S183
• 22 Nieman D C. Exercise, infection, and immunity.  Int J Sports Med. 1994;  15 S131-S141
• 23 Nieman D C. Immune response to heavy exertion.  J Appl Physiol. 1997;  82 1385-1394
• 24 Nieman D C, Ahle J C, Henson D A, Warren B J, Suttles J, Davis J M, Buckley K S, Simandle S, Butterworth D E, Fagoaga O R, Nehlsen-Cannarella S L. Indomethacin does not alter the natural killer cell response to 2.5 hours of running.  J Appl Physiol. 1995;  79 748-755
• 25 Nieman D C, Henson D A, Gusewitch G, Warren B J, Dotson R C, Butterworth D E, Nehlsen-Cannarella S L. Physical activity and immune function in elderly women.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1993;  25 823-831
• 26 Nieman D C, Johanssen L M, Lee J W. Infectious episodes in runners before and after a roadrace.  J Sports Med Phys Fit. 1989;  29 289-296
• 27 Nieman D C, Nehlsen-Cannarella S L, Markoff P A, Balk-Lamberton A J, Yang H, Chritton D BW, Lee J W, Arabatzis K. The effects of moderate exercise training on natural killer cells and acute upper respiratory tract infections.  Int Sports Med. 1990;  11 467-473
• 28 Nieman D C, Simandle S, Henson D A, Warren B J, Suttles J, Davis J M, Buckley K S, Ahle J C, Butterworth D E, Fagoaga O R, Nehlsen-Cannarella S L. Lymphocyte proliferation response to 2.5 hours of running.  Int J Sports Med. 1995;  16 406-410
• 29 Pedersen B K, Ullum H. NK cell response to physical activity: possible mechanisms of action.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  26 140-146
• 30 Peters E M, Bateman D E. Ultramarathon running and upper respiratory tract infections.  S Afr Med J. 1983;  64 582-584
• 31 Schofield W N. Predicting basal metabolic rate, new standards and review of previous work.  Hum Nutr Clin Nutr. 1985;  39 5-41
• 32 Schouten W J, Verschuur R, Kemper H CG. Physical activity and upper respiratory tract infections in a normal population of young men and women: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Study.  Int J Sports Med. 1988;  9 451-455
• 33 Therminarias A, Danson P, Chirpaz-Oddou M F, Gharib C, Quirion A. Hormonal and metabolic changes during a strenuous tennis match. Effect of ageing.  Int J Sports Med. 1991;  12 10-16
• 34 Watson R R. Malnutrition, disease and immune function. New York; Dekker 1984
• 35 Weidner T G, Cranston T, Schurr T, Kaminsky L A. The effect of exercise training on the severity and duration of a viral upper respiratory illness.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  30 1578-1583