CSSD Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Study Resource

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is widely recognized as the most accurate method for estimating the basal metabolic rate (BMR) and subsequently calculating energy needs in various populations, including obese individuals. This equation considers factors such as age, sex, height, and weight, producing results that are generally more aligned with actual energy expenditure compared to older equations like the Harris-Benedict equation.

In the context of obesity, traditional equations, like Harris-Benedict, can often overestimate energy requirements because they do not adjust well for lean body mass versus fat mass, leading to inaccuracies in caloric recommendations. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation helps address this by providing a formula that has shown better reliability in estimating energy needs for individuals with higher body fat percentages.

Though the Cunningham and Katch-McArdle equations are also used for estimating energy expenditure, they are more specific to determining needs based on lean body mass. While these may be useful for certain cases, they do not have the same level of validation and applicability in the general population of obese individuals as the Mifflin-St Jeor equation does.