Reduced Rate of Energy Expenditure as a Risk Factor for Body-Weight Gain

Abstract

The contribution of reduced energy expenditure to the development of obesity has been a point of controversy. We measured 24-hour energy expenditure (adjusted for body composition, age, and sex), in a respiratory chamber, in 95 southwestern American Indians. Energy expenditure correlated with the rate of change in body weight over a two-year follow-up period (r = -0.39, P less than 0.001). The estimated risk of gaining more than 7.5 kg in body weight was increased fourfold in persons with a low adjusted 24-hour energy expenditure (200 kcal per day below predicted values) as compared with persons with a high 24-hour energy expenditure (200 kcal per day above predicted values; P less than 0.01). In another 126 subjects, the adjusted metabolic rate at rest at the initial visit was also found to predict the gain in body weight over a four-year follow-up period. When the 15 subjects who gained more than 10 kg were compared with the remaining 111 subjects, the initial mean (+/- SD) adjusted metabolic rate at rest was lower in those who gained weight (1694 +/- 103 vs. 1764 +/- 109 kcal per day; P less than 0.02) and increased to 1813 +/- 134 kcal per day (P less than 0.01) after a mean weight gain of 15.7 +/- 5.7 kg. In a group of 94 siblings from 36 families, values for adjusted 24-hour energy expenditure aggregated in families (intraclass correlation = 0.48). We conclude that a low rate of energy expenditure may contribute to the aggregation of obesity in families.

Long‐lived hypopituitary Ames dwarf mice are resistant to the detrimental effects of high‐fat diet on metabolic function and energy expenditure

“…Diets such as HFD can alter lipid metabolism and promote metabolic dysfunction by inducing insulin resistance and altering energy expenditure (Ravussin et al ., 1988). We observed high levels of NEFAs in Ames dwarf mice fed HFD compared to Ames dwarf fed STD and control mice fed either diet.…”

“…Oxygen consumption is considered as a gauge of anabolic health in both mice and humans (McGandy et al ., 1966; Ravussin et al ., 1988) and is associated to improved health and longevity. Previous studies in our laboratory reported that ‘long‐lived mice’, such as Ames dwarf and GHR‐KO mice (with deficient GH signaling) have increased VO 2 per unit of body weight in both fed and fasted conditions when compared to their control mice when fed a standard diet (Westbrook et al ., 2009).…”

Low relative resting metabolic rate and body weight gain in adult Caucasian Italians

“…There is thus general agreement that only longitudinal studies can disclose whether or not low-energy expenditure is associated with body weight gain. Although previous studies have noted this association in adult Pima Indians, 3 infants 4 and 5-y-old girls, 5 there have been no convincing data regarding adult Caucasians. [6][7][8] The present study consists in a longitudinal investigation as to (follow-up 8-12 y) whether low relative energy expenditure is associated with body weight gain in a group of adult Caucasian Italians.…”

Effect of 2-month detraining on body composition and insulin sensitivity in young female dancers

“…1 Environmental changes that require less physical activities to maintain daily living have been considered as a major cause in the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndromes. [1][2][3] It was suggested that increased adiposity would elicit a negative-feedback mechanism for preventing fuel overloading by reducing the wholebody insulin sensitivity. 4,5 This insulin-resistant state has been proposed as a common ground for development of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer.…”