Dale Schoeller

Ph.D. Chemistry

University of Wisconsin

Professor Emeritus

IDATA (Learn more about this study)

IDATA-64

May 2, 2023

Analysis of human energy and water requirements

On behalf of the management team of the International Atomic Energy Agency DLW database, we respectfully request that the IDATA energy expenditure and associated demographic and anthropometric data be added to DLW database. The value of accessing and analyzing energy expenditure data and, by extension, energy intake, assembled across multiple large- and small-scale DLW studies has become increasingly clear. The IAEA data were instrumental in the development of the 2023 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy; in addition, there have already been two highly cited Science papers published, plus multiple others in very reputable journals, using the DLW database. Data from the Interactive Diet and Activity Tracking in AARP (IDATA) Study would greatly increase the proportion of data representing individuals 50 to 74 years of age and enhance future analyses conducted using the DLW database.

We recognize our request for data differs from the requests usually submitted to the Cancer Data Access System, as we are asking that the IDATA data be shared to another database, rather than to individual researchers for a specific analysis. As mentioned above, the IAEA DLW database is an assemblage of deidentified energy expenditure observations from laboratories around the world. The IAEA DLW database, itself, receives requests from researchers for deidentified data to conduct analyses; these requests are discussed and debated among the DLW database management team (see above) to determine the validity of the proposed analyses and the degree to which a proposed analysis is similar to exiting, approved, proposals. A description of the data request process and a list of extant proposals can be found at: https://www.iaea.org/resources/hhc/nutrition/databases/double-labelled-water-dlw.

For institutions and investigators wishing to add their DLW data to the IAEA database, participant confidentiality is maintained by the IAEA staff once the required data elements are submitted to the database. Study-specific identifiers, i.e., participant identification numbers, are replaced with database IDs, essentially ID numbers assigned sequentially when the data are submitted and accepted into the database. The linkages to original study participant identification numbers are kept separate from the database and are not made available, even to management team members.

Because the IAEA DLW database provides deidentified data to researchers based upon their proposals for analysis and their data requests, we cannot a priori identify all potential users of the IDATA data. What can be ensured, however, is that the data, when shared, would not be identified as coming from the IDATA study but would rather be a deidentified component of a larger data subset. For example, the data provided from the database for a proposed analysis to determine energy requirements for individuals over the age of 50 would include all existing data for individuals of that age range.