Energy Expenditure During Walking in Adults: Impact of Body Mass Index and Sex.

Authors

Joshua S Beaumont, Glenn A Gaesser, Marc A Adams, Daniel S Peterson, Jared M Dickinson, James T Patrie, Siddhartha S Angadi

Published in

Medicine and science in sports and exercise. Sep 07, 2026. Epub Sep 07, 2026.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine if the linear and nonlinear coefficients of the energy expenditure-walking speed relationship are influenced by body mass index (BMI; kg/m 2) and sex.
Participants (n=182; 96 females) ages 18-60 yr walked at 0.89 m/s (2.0 mph), 1.34 m/s (3.0 mph), and 1.79 m/s (4.0 mph) for six min each while oxygen uptake (V̇O2; mL/kg/min) was calculated via indirect calorimetry and converted to energy expenditure (EE; W/kg). Net W/kg was calculated by subtracting standing W/kg from gross W/kg. Polynomial random coefficient regression (PRCR) was employed to produce individual-level linear and quadratic coefficients to assess whether BMI influenced W/kg during walking. Net energy cost of walking (Cw; J/kg/m) was also determined for each walking speed.
Net W/kg and Cw were not significantly correlated with BMI at 0.89 m/s and 1.79 m/s, but were weakly inversely correlated (r 2 < 0.03) with BMI at 1.34 m/s. BMI was not significantly correlated with the linear coefficient for net or gross W/kg (both r = 0.07), but was weakly correlated with the quadratic coefficient for net (r = 0.17, P = 0.02) and gross (r = 0.16, P = 0.04) W/kg (r 2 < 0.03 for both). However, PRCR coefficients did not differ between normal weight BMI (n=32; 18.5-<25.0 kg/m 2), overweight (n=74; 25-<30.0 kg/m 2) and obese (n=76; >30.0 kg/m 2) groups. Females had higher W/kg, but sex differences were eliminated after controlling for height.
We conclude that BMI has little impact on the EE of walking at speeds between 0.89 m/s and 1.79 m/s, and that sex differences in walking EE are eliminated after controlling for height.

PMID:
42704768
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 08 Sep 2026.

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