Since when is TDEE the same as RMR ? You are comparing apples to oranges, so I am not even going to read that study .
Any other ?
They are not the same but TDEE includes RMR as a component. You should read the study, it touches upon that point as well.
"...Previously we reported that both 24-hour sedentary energy expenditure and sleeping metabolic rate measured in a respiratory chamber were reduced ∼6% beyond what was expected for the loss of metabolic mass (FFM and FM) [6]. This metabolic adaptation was also observed in RMR measured by a ventilated hood indirect calorimeter [7]. A portion of the reduction in sedentary energy expenditure was due to the reduced energy intake itself (thermic effect of food), and a reduction in the energy cost of spontaneous physical activity."
"...Behaviorally, a response to the semi starvation was also a tremendous decrease in physical activity. It was estimated that reduced physical activity accounted for 58% of the decreased total energy expenditure whereas RMR accounted for 32% and the thermic effect of food for only 10% [24]."
And if that is not enough, here are 3 other studies that measure only RMR adaptations and also found decrease.
Energy-metabolism adaptation in obese adults on a very-low-calorie diet. - PubMed - NCBI
"...The RMR-LBM ratio declined significantly during the VLCD period and decreased faster during the first week; the day 3, day 5, and day 21 ratio values were 94%, 91%, and 82%, respectively, of the original. The RMR-LBM ratio decrease after 21 d of a VLCD was near that found in chronic undernutrition. Results of previous studies that did not find any drop in the RMR-LBM ratio in obese adults on VLCDs might be explained by their LBM-assessment methods."
Short and long term effects of a very low calorie diet on resting metabolic rate and body composition. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Short and long term effects of a protein sparing modified fast (PSMF) diet on resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition were investigated. During a period of 6 months on diet, RMR decreased significantly, both in absolute value and after correction for fat-free mass (FFM). Short term evaluation with this type of diet showed no decrease in RMR. The results from this study indicate that the fall in RMR associated with a PSMF diet (weight loss) is not due to an acute adaptation to the lower energy intake. Changes in FFM are important in the change in RMR, but other factors have to be involved."
Physiological regulation of body weight and the issue of obesity. - PubMed - NCBI