BIOMETRIC STANDARDS IN HUMAN NUTRITION 393 



necessarily in the causal sense) the basal daily heat production 

 of the individual than is a linear bodily dimension such as stat 

 ure. The correlations between body weight and metabolism 

 and between body surface and metabolism are of approximately 

 the same magnitude. The two characters have, therefore, the 

 same value in indicating the basal metabolism of the subject. 



We have just noted that metabolism is correlated with both 

 stature and body weight. Heavier and taller individuals have 

 a larger daily food requirement. But body weight and stature 

 are correlated characters. The interesting question, therefore, 

 naturally arises whether the greater heat production of tall in 

 dividuals may not be merely the resultant of the relationships 

 between stature and weight on the one hand and weight and 

 metabolism on the other. 



This question may be solved by the use of appropriate par 

 tial correlation formula?. We have to determine whether there 

 is a correlation between body weight and daily heat production 

 when correction has been made for the influence of stature, and 

 conversely, to determine whether there is a correlation between 

 stature and daily heat production when correction is made for 

 the influence of body weight. The results are given in the ac 

 companying table. 



Since the partial correlation coefficients have sensible posi 

 tive values, it is evident that both stature and body weight have 

 independent significance in indicating daily heat production. 

 This is a result of great importance, since it underlies the de 

 termination of the best formulae for the prediction of the basal 

 metabolism of the individual. 



Let us now consider the relationship between metabolism 

 and age. 



The change in the food requirements of the human individ 

 ual with age is not merely a question of material importance 

 to the clinician, but of great interest to the biologist in its bear 

 ing upon the general problem of senescence. 



