The relationship of energy intake and expenditure to body fatness in Western Samoan men

This study examines the relationship of energy intake and expenditure patterns to differences in body fatness among young Western Samoan men who vary in the rural/urban location and type of occupation. Levels of body fatness were significantly higher among men employed in the urban area of Apia than in residents of a rural village. Among urban employed men, those with physically sedentary occupations were significantly fatter than those performing manual labor. Energy intake was lowest in the group with the highest body fatness (sedentary workers) and, in general, conformed to differences in energy expenditure among the groups. However, Sundays and weekdays were associated with markedly different patterns of energy intake and expenditure. This may have been related to the development of obesity in urban Samoan men due to a gradual accumulation of an energy excess on Sundays. In rural areas thfs energy excess on Sundays is compensated by high levels of weekday physical activity in young men, but this may not occur at older ages since body weight and fatness are greater in older men in rural areas.

Key words:

• body fatness
• energy intake
• energy expenditure
• occupation
• Western Samoa