Heat production and respiratory quotient for foodstuff types

The heat produced during the metabolic activities of the body helps in maintaining the body temperature. Generally, warm blooded animals like birds and mammals have specific regulatory mechanism by which heat production is either increased or dissipated in relation to the environmental conditions. The most commonly used measure to determine metabolic rate is to find the oxygen consumption of the animal. Oxygen consumption is a good indicator of metabolic rate because heat produced for each litre of oxygen used in metabolism is the same irrespective of the food stuff oxidised. The highest figure of 5.o kcal per litre of oxygen is only 10% more than the lowest figures Mitre of oxygen for proteins. On an average we consider metabolic rate to be equal to 4.8 kcal/litre of oxygen used.

Table: Heat production and respiratory quotient for foodstuff types