Energy compensation and adiposity in humans

Vincent Careau; Lewis G Halsey; Herman Pontzer; Philip N Ainslie; Lene F Andersen; Liam J Anderson; Lenore Arab; Issad Baddou; Kweku Bedu-Addo; Ellen E Blaak; Stephane Blanc; Alberto G Bonomi; Carlijn V C Bouten; Maciej S Buchowski; Nancy F Butte; Stefan G J A Camps; Graeme L Close; Jamie A Cooper; Sai Krupa Das; Richard Cooper; Lara R Dugas; Simon D Eaton; Ulf Ekelund; Sonja Entringer; Terrence Forrester; Barry W Fudge; Annelies H Goris; Michael Gurven; Catherine Hambly; Asmaa El Hamdouchi; Marije B Hoos; Sumei Hu; Noorjehan Joonas; Annemiek M Joosen; Peter Katzmarzyk; Kitty P Kempen; Misaka Kimura; William E Kraus; Robert F Kushner; Estelle V Lambert; William R Leonard; Nader Lessan; Corby K Martin; Anine C Medin; Erwin P Meijer; James C Morehen; James P Morton; Guy Plasqui; Giulio Valenti; Edgar A Van Mil; IAEA DLW database group; Amy H. Luke; Jennifer Rood; Hiroyuki Sagayama; Dale A. Schoeller; William W. Wong; Yosuke Yamada; John R. Speakman

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016

Energy compensation and adiposity in humans

Vincent Careau^*, Lewis G Halsey^*, Herman Pontzer^*, Philip N Ainslie, Lene F Andersen, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issad Baddou, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G Bonomi, Carlijn V C Bouten, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G J A Camps, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Richard CooperLara R Dugas, Simon D Eaton, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Catherine Hambly, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Marije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Kitty P Kempen, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Corby K Martin, Anine C Medin, Erwin P Meijer, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Guy Plasqui, Giulio Valenti, Edgar A Van Mil, IAEA DLW database group, Amy H. Luke^*, Jennifer Rood^*, Hiroyuki Sagayama^*, Dale A. Schoeller^*, William W. Wong^*, Yosuke Yamada^*, John R. Speakman^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

46 Citations (Web of Science)

Abstract

Understanding the impacts of activity on energy balance is crucial. Increasing levels of activity may bring diminishing returns in energy expenditure because of compensatory responses in non-activity energy expenditures.1-3 This suggestion has profound implications for both the evolution of metabolism and human health. It implies that a long-term increase in activity does not directly translate into an increase in total energy expenditure (TEE) because other components of TEE may decrease in response-energy compensation. We used the largest dataset compiled on adult TEE and basal energy expenditure (BEE) (n = 1,754) of people living normal lives to find that energy compensation by a typical human averages 28% due to reduced BEE; this suggests that only 72% of the extra calories we burn from additional activity translates into extra calories burned that day. Moreover, the degree of energy compensation varied considerably between people of different body compositions. This association between compensation and adiposity could be due to among-individual differences in compensation: people who compensate more may be more likely to accumulate body fat. Alternatively, the process might occur within individuals: as we get fatter, our body might compensate more strongly for the calories burned during activity, making losing fat progressively more difficult. Determining the causality of the relationship between energy compensation and adiposity will be key to improving public health strategies regarding obesity.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4659-4666.e2
Number of pages	11
Journal	Current Biology
Volume	31
Issue number	20
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016
Publication status	Published - 25 Oct 2021

Keywords

BASAL
BIRDS
CONSTRAINT
EXERCISE PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY
EXPENDITURE
INTERVENTIONS
MASS
METABOLIC-RATES
WEIGHT-LOSS

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10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

Careau, V., Halsey, L. G., Pontzer, H., Ainslie, P. N., Andersen, L. F., Anderson, L. J., Arab, L., Baddou, I., Bedu-Addo, K., Blaak, E. E., Blanc, S., Bonomi, A. G., Bouten, C. V. C., Buchowski, M. S., Butte, N. F., Camps, S. G. J. A., Close, G. L., Cooper, J. A., Das, S. K., ... Speakman, J. R. (2021). Energy compensation and adiposity in humans. Current Biology, 31(20), 4659-4666.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016

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title = "Energy compensation and adiposity in humans",

abstract = "Understanding the impacts of activity on energy balance is crucial. Increasing levels of activity may bring diminishing returns in energy expenditure because of compensatory responses in non-activity energy expenditures.1-3 This suggestion has profound implications for both the evolution of metabolism and human health. It implies that a long-term increase in activity does not directly translate into an increase in total energy expenditure (TEE) because other components of TEE may decrease in response-energy compensation. We used the largest dataset compiled on adult TEE and basal energy expenditure (BEE) (n = 1,754) of people living normal lives to find that energy compensation by a typical human averages 28% due to reduced BEE; this suggests that only 72% of the extra calories we burn from additional activity translates into extra calories burned that day. Moreover, the degree of energy compensation varied considerably between people of different body compositions. This association between compensation and adiposity could be due to among-individual differences in compensation: people who compensate more may be more likely to accumulate body fat. Alternatively, the process might occur within individuals: as we get fatter, our body might compensate more strongly for the calories burned during activity, making losing fat progressively more difficult. Determining the causality of the relationship between energy compensation and adiposity will be key to improving public health strategies regarding obesity.",

keywords = "BASAL, BIRDS, CONSTRAINT, EXERCISE PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, EXPENDITURE, INTERVENTIONS, MASS, METABOLIC-RATES, WEIGHT-LOSS",

author = "Vincent Careau and Halsey, {Lewis G} and Herman Pontzer and Ainslie, {Philip N} and Andersen, {Lene F} and Anderson, {Liam J} and Lenore Arab and Issad Baddou and Kweku Bedu-Addo and Blaak, {Ellen E} and Stephane Blanc and Bonomi, {Alberto G} and Bouten, {Carlijn V C} and Buchowski, {Maciej S} and Butte, {Nancy F} and Camps, {Stefan G J A} and Close, {Graeme L} and Cooper, {Jamie A} and Das, {Sai Krupa} and Richard Cooper and Dugas, {Lara R} and Eaton, {Simon D} and Ulf Ekelund and Sonja Entringer and Terrence Forrester and Fudge, {Barry W} and Goris, {Annelies H} and Michael Gurven and Catherine Hambly and {El Hamdouchi}, Asmaa and Hoos, {Marije B} and Sumei Hu and Noorjehan Joonas and Joosen, {Annemiek M} and Peter Katzmarzyk and Kempen, {Kitty P} and Misaka Kimura and Kraus, {William E} and Kushner, {Robert F} and Lambert, {Estelle V} and Leonard, {William R} and Nader Lessan and Martin, {Corby K} and Medin, {Anine C} and Meijer, {Erwin P} and Morehen, {James C} and Morton, {James P} and Guy Plasqui and Giulio Valenti and {Van Mil}, {Edgar A} and {IAEA DLW database group} and Luke, {Amy H.} and Jennifer Rood and Hiroyuki Sagayama and Schoeller, {Dale A.} and Wong, {William W.} and Yosuke Yamada and Speakman, {John R.}",

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Careau, V, Halsey, LG, Pontzer, H, Ainslie, PN, Andersen, LF, Anderson, LJ, Arab, L, Baddou, I, Bedu-Addo, K, Blaak, EE, Blanc, S, Bonomi, AG, Bouten, CVC, Buchowski, MS, Butte, NF, Camps, SGJA, Close, GL, Cooper, JA, Das, SK, Cooper, R, Dugas, LR, Eaton, SD, Ekelund, U, Entringer, S, Forrester, T, Fudge, BW, Goris, AH, Gurven, M, Hambly, C, El Hamdouchi, A, Hoos, MB, Hu, S, Joonas, N, Joosen, AM, Katzmarzyk, P, Kempen, KP, Kimura, M, Kraus, WE, Kushner, RF, Lambert, EV, Leonard, WR, Lessan, N, Martin, CK, Medin, AC, Meijer, EP, Morehen, JC, Morton, JP, Plasqui, G, Valenti, G, Van Mil, EA, IAEA DLW database group, Luke, AH, Rood, J, Sagayama, H, Schoeller, DA, Wong, WW, Yamada, Y & Speakman, JR 2021, 'Energy compensation and adiposity in humans', Current Biology, vol. 31, no. 20, pp. 4659-4666.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016

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T1 - Energy compensation and adiposity in humans

AU - Careau, Vincent

AU - Halsey, Lewis G

AU - Pontzer, Herman

AU - Ainslie, Philip N

AU - Andersen, Lene F

AU - Anderson, Liam J

AU - Arab, Lenore

AU - Baddou, Issad

AU - Bedu-Addo, Kweku

AU - Blaak, Ellen E

AU - Blanc, Stephane

AU - Bonomi, Alberto G

AU - Bouten, Carlijn V C

AU - Buchowski, Maciej S

AU - Butte, Nancy F

AU - Camps, Stefan G J A

AU - Close, Graeme L

AU - Cooper, Jamie A

AU - Das, Sai Krupa

AU - Cooper, Richard

AU - Dugas, Lara R

AU - Eaton, Simon D

AU - Ekelund, Ulf

AU - Entringer, Sonja

AU - Forrester, Terrence

AU - Fudge, Barry W

AU - Goris, Annelies H

AU - Gurven, Michael

AU - Hambly, Catherine

AU - El Hamdouchi, Asmaa

AU - Hoos, Marije B

AU - Hu, Sumei

AU - Joonas, Noorjehan

AU - Joosen, Annemiek M

AU - Katzmarzyk, Peter

AU - Kempen, Kitty P

AU - Kimura, Misaka

AU - Kraus, William E

AU - Kushner, Robert F

AU - Lambert, Estelle V

AU - Leonard, William R

AU - Lessan, Nader

AU - Martin, Corby K

AU - Medin, Anine C

AU - Meijer, Erwin P

AU - Morehen, James C

AU - Morton, James P

AU - Plasqui, Guy

AU - Valenti, Giulio

AU - Van Mil, Edgar A

AU - IAEA DLW database group

AU - Luke, Amy H.

AU - Rood, Jennifer

AU - Sagayama, Hiroyuki

AU - Schoeller, Dale A.

AU - Wong, William W.

AU - Yamada, Yosuke

AU - Speakman, John R.

PY - 2021/10/25

Y1 - 2021/10/25

N2 - Understanding the impacts of activity on energy balance is crucial. Increasing levels of activity may bring diminishing returns in energy expenditure because of compensatory responses in non-activity energy expenditures.1-3 This suggestion has profound implications for both the evolution of metabolism and human health. It implies that a long-term increase in activity does not directly translate into an increase in total energy expenditure (TEE) because other components of TEE may decrease in response-energy compensation. We used the largest dataset compiled on adult TEE and basal energy expenditure (BEE) (n = 1,754) of people living normal lives to find that energy compensation by a typical human averages 28% due to reduced BEE; this suggests that only 72% of the extra calories we burn from additional activity translates into extra calories burned that day. Moreover, the degree of energy compensation varied considerably between people of different body compositions. This association between compensation and adiposity could be due to among-individual differences in compensation: people who compensate more may be more likely to accumulate body fat. Alternatively, the process might occur within individuals: as we get fatter, our body might compensate more strongly for the calories burned during activity, making losing fat progressively more difficult. Determining the causality of the relationship between energy compensation and adiposity will be key to improving public health strategies regarding obesity.

AB - Understanding the impacts of activity on energy balance is crucial. Increasing levels of activity may bring diminishing returns in energy expenditure because of compensatory responses in non-activity energy expenditures.1-3 This suggestion has profound implications for both the evolution of metabolism and human health. It implies that a long-term increase in activity does not directly translate into an increase in total energy expenditure (TEE) because other components of TEE may decrease in response-energy compensation. We used the largest dataset compiled on adult TEE and basal energy expenditure (BEE) (n = 1,754) of people living normal lives to find that energy compensation by a typical human averages 28% due to reduced BEE; this suggests that only 72% of the extra calories we burn from additional activity translates into extra calories burned that day. Moreover, the degree of energy compensation varied considerably between people of different body compositions. This association between compensation and adiposity could be due to among-individual differences in compensation: people who compensate more may be more likely to accumulate body fat. Alternatively, the process might occur within individuals: as we get fatter, our body might compensate more strongly for the calories burned during activity, making losing fat progressively more difficult. Determining the causality of the relationship between energy compensation and adiposity will be key to improving public health strategies regarding obesity.

KW - BASAL

KW - BIRDS

KW - CONSTRAINT

KW - EXERCISE PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY

KW - EXPENDITURE

KW - INTERVENTIONS

KW - MASS

KW - METABOLIC-RATES

KW - WEIGHT-LOSS

U2 - 10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016

DO - 10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.016

M3 - Article

C2 - 34453886

SN - 0960-9822

VL - 31

SP - 4659-4666.e2

JO - Current Biology

JF - Current Biology

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ER -