Human Energy Compensation and Obesity

Publication date: August 27, 2021 DOI: https : //doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016

Explanation

It will be very important for us to understand the impact of activity on energy balance.

Increases in activity levels can lead to diminishing returns in energy expenditure due to the compensatory response of inactive energy expenditure.

This means that a long-term increase in activity does not directly lead to an increase in total energy expenditure (TEE), as other components of TEE may decrease in response.

Using the largest data set compiled on TEE in adults and basal energy expenditure (BEE) in people living a normal life (n = 1,754), we found that the average energy compensation by a typical human due to a decrease in BEE is 28%.

This implies that only 72% of the extra calories consumed from additional activities are converted into extra calories consumed during the day.

Furthermore, the degree of energy compensation varies considerably among people with different body compositions, and this association between compensation and obesity may be due to individual differences in compensation.

People who compensate more are more likely to accumulate body fat, and this process can occur within an individual.

This could mean that as we gain weight, our bodies compensate more strongly for the calories consumed during activity, making it more difficult to lose fat gradually.

Determining the causality of the relationship between energy compensation and obesity will improve public health strategies regarding obesity.