It used to be that dietitians estimated metabolic rate – the amount of energy (measured as calories) a person at rest burns each day – by incorporating information about the person’s height, weight, age, and gender into a formula. The result represented the average calorie expenditure of a person with those particular characteristics. Unfortunately, “average” didn’t really help someone who still struggled to lose or maintain weight by adhering to these one-size-fits-all calculations.

Today, Doylestown Hospital offers fast, easy, and precise metabolic testing that provides valuable information that is unique to you. By measuring the oxygen you exhale at rest over a period of 10-15 minutes, the test calculates your daily calorie needs. The amount of energy you expend for routine activities of daily living (moving around the house or office, running errands, etc.) as well as for exercise such as walking, swimming, aerobics, and weight training is also incorporated into the final calculation. The result is your unique daily energy requirement – the number of calories your body needs to maintain normal body function and engage in everyday activities.

Resting metabolic rate testing is offered at both the hospital’s main campus and the Health and Wellness Center. For more information, call the hospital’s Nutrition Counseling Center at 215-345-2394 or 215-345-2356, or the Health and Wellness Center at 215-918-5994.