• Indication
• Pros and cons
• Practical considerations
• Resources required
• References
• Examples and links

• Physical activity assessment
• Methods
• Indirect calorimetry
• Pros and cons

Pros and cons

Pros

• Provides an accurate and reliable measure of energy expenditure
• Suitable as a criterion validation method for objective measures of physical activity
• The development of more portable metabolic systems has allowed the method to be used for validation studies both in the laboratory and during field situations although still for relatively short periods of time

Cons

• Even the portable equipment is unsuitable for use long-term in free-living conditions
• Expensive
• High respondent burden, in particualr for longer term assessment

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