The basal metabolic rate (BMR) of female endurance athletes was evaluated in relation to the body composition and nutritional status. The subjects were 16 long-distance runners mean (SD) age: 19.1 (2.4) y, height: 160.2 (4.5) cm, weight: 48.2 (4.1) kg, body fat: 16.6 (3.3)%, 8 rowers ((20.6) (1.2) y, 162.8 (3.2) cm, 57.0 (5.6) kg, 18.2 (4.6)%), and 19 sedentary non-athletic controls (20.1 (0.7) y, 159.7 (5.1) cm, 51.0 (5.2) kg, 23.7 (2.8)%). All subjects were eumenorrheic (estradiol: 47.2 (35.9) pg/ml). BMR (kcal/day) was significantly higher in the rowers (1, 351 (170) kcal/day) than in the sedentary controls (1, 191 (165) kcal/day), but not in the runners (1, 246 (121) kcal/day). BMR adjusted by body weight was significantly higher in the runners (26.0 (3.1) kcal/kg BW/day) than in the sedentary controls (23.3 (2.3) kcal/kg BW/day), but not in the rowers (23.9 (3.9) kcal/kg BW/day). BMR adjusted by lean body mass (LBM) did not differ among the three groups (runners: 31.1 (3.6), rowers: 29.1 (3.8), sedentary subjects: 30.7 (3.3) kcal/kg LBM/day). Body weight and LBM were significantly correlated with BMR (kcal/day)(r=0.43, r=0.51, p<0.01, respectively) in all the subjects. However, the energy intake (kcal/kg BW/day) and protein intake (g/kg BW/day) were correlated with BMR (kcal/kg BW/day)(r=0.52, r=0.69, p<0.01, respectively) only in the athletes, and not in the sedentary controls. These data suggest that BMR (kcal/day) in female athletes with eumenorrhea was influenced by both the body dimensions and intake of energy and protein.