This study is designed to test the hypothesis that the basal metabolic rate of Mongolian pastoral nomads is accurately predicted by the equations developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for use throughout the world. The basal metabolic rate is the minimum energy required to maintain life, and is a major proportion of total human energy needs. According to the WHO, the prediction equations are applicable regardless of the climate in which the population lives and regardless of seasonal variation in temperature stress. However, there is considerable evidence that the basal metabolic rate of indigenous populations varies inversely with temperature. Mongolia provides a natural laboratory for testing this ongoing scientific debate. This study will measure basal metabolic rate, diet, and cold exposure in male and female Mongolian pastoral nomads 18 years of age and older who live in a cold, high latitude climate with seasonally extreme cold stress. It will add to the knowledge of factors influencing basal metabolic rate in human populations and to the ongoing scientific discussion as to whether basal metabolic rate is a universal trait in humans influenced only by age, sex, and body weight, or whether it adapts to environmental factors such as cold stress.
