Respiratory Quotient
Reveals whether your body is burning carbohydrates or fats for energy, helping tailor your weight management plan.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
The Respiratory Quotient (RQ) tells us what type of fuel your body is primarily burning — carbohydrates or fats. An RQ closer to 1.0 means you are burning more carbohydrates, while a lower value near 0.7 indicates your body is using stored fat for energy.
Medical
Clinical Definition
Respiratory Quotient is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced (VCO₂) to oxygen consumed (VO₂) during metabolism. Carbohydrate oxidation yields RQ ≈ 1.0, protein ≈ 0.82, and fat ≈ 0.70. Indirect calorimetry uses RQ measurement to determine substrate utilisation patterns and total energy expenditure.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
Understanding your body fuel preference helps tailor your diet and exercise plan. An RQ trending toward fat oxidation indicates your weight management strategy is effectively targeting stored fat — a key metric Dr. Joseph Wang monitors when optimising your weight loss programme.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
