BMR!

JessicaW0204
JessicaW0204 Posts: 64
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Can some please tell me what the difference in the Harris-Benedict Formula and the Katch-McArdle Formula? HB says my BMR is 1459 and KM says it is 1293. Which should I follow and why such a big difference in the two?

Replies

  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    Neither is completely accurate.......pick one and try it. Then adjust calories accordingly.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20833995
  • JessicaW0204
    JessicaW0204 Posts: 64
    Neither is completely accurate.......pick one and try it. Then adjust calories accordingly.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20833995

    That is wayyyy too nerdy for me to understand jac. :) I have been doing 1400 calories a day, think I may stick with that.
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    The Katch-McArdle formula takes your ratio of lean body mass to body fat into account, making it a more accurate estimate, assuming you have an accurate measurement of body fat percentage to work with.

    Harris-Benedict can be used with just your height, weight, age and gender.
  • slimlifter
    slimlifter Posts: 61 Member
    Harris Benedict formula was written in 1919 & has since been revised. Katch McArdle formula takes into account body fat % and is therefore more accurate, providing you know your BF% accurately (tested by a professional)
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Katch-McArdle gives you BMR
    Harris-Benedict gives you TDEE

    TDEE > BMR

    Also, in order to use Katch-McArdle you need to input your body fat %, which is not trivial to estimate. I think most people are better off going with the Harris-Benedict.
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Katch-McArdle gives you BMR
    Harris-Benedict gives you TDEE

    That's not correct. Both formulae estimate BMR. You have to multiply the result by some estimated activity multiplier to reach something approximating TDEE.
  • slimlifter
    slimlifter Posts: 61 Member
    Katch-McArdle gives you BMR
    Harris-Benedict gives you TDEE

    Incorrect
    That's not correct. Both formulae estimate BMR. You have to multiply the result by some estimated activity multiplier to reach something approximating TDEE.

    Correct


    Don't go guessing your BF% or using the online calculators, the most accurate way is either spending $$$ for a body pod style test (for athletes) or getting skin folds done.



    "too nerdy for me"
    Maybe if you make an effort to learn more about this stuff, you will have a greater understanding of nutrition and therefore make better food choices daily. It's worth getting nerdy about if you understand nutrition better as a result.
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