Total daily energy expenditure has declined over the past three decades due to declining basal expenditure, not reduced activity expenditure

John R. Speakman; Jasper M. A. de Jong; Srishti Sinha; Klaas R. Westerterp; Yosuke Yamada; Hiroyuki Sagayama; Philip N. Ainslie; Liam J. Anderson; Lenore Arab; Kweku Bedu-Addo; Stephane Blanc; Alberto G. Bonomi; Pascal Bovet; Soren Brage; Maciej S. Buchowski; Nancy F. Butte; Stefan G. J. A. Camps; Jamie A. Cooper; Richard Cooper; Sai Krupa Das; Peter S. W. Davies; Lara R. Dugas; Ulf Ekelund; Sonja Entringer; Terrence Forrester; Barry W. Fudge; Melanie Gillingham; Santu Ghosh; Annelies H. Goris; Michael Gurven; Lewis G. Halsey; Catherine Hambly; Hinke H. Haisma; Daniel Hoffman; Sumei Hu; Annemiek M. Joosen; Jennifer L. Kaplan; Peter Katzmarzyk; William E. Kraus; Robert F. Kushner; William R. Leonard; Marie Loef; Corby K. Martin; Eric Matsiko; Anine C. Medin; Erwin P. Meijer; Marian L. Neuhouser; Theresa A. Nicklas; Robert M. Ojiambo; Kirsi H. Pietilaeinen; Guy Plasqui; Giulio Valenti; Ludovicus van Etten; E.G. van Mil; Anura Kurpad; Amy H Luke; Herman Pontzer; Matthew S. Rodeheffer; Jennifer Rood; Dale A. Schoeller; William W. Wong

doi:10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2

Total daily energy expenditure has declined over the past three decades due to declining basal expenditure, not reduced activity expenditure

John R. Speakman^*, Jasper M. A. de Jong, Srishti Sinha, Klaas R. Westerterp^*, Yosuke Yamada^*, Hiroyuki Sagayama^*, Philip N. Ainslie, Liam J. Anderson, Lenore Arab, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G. Bonomi, Pascal Bovet, Soren Brage, Maciej S. Buchowski, Nancy F. Butte, Stefan G. J. A. Camps, Jamie A. Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa DasPeter S. W. Davies, Lara R. Dugas, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W. Fudge, Melanie Gillingham, Santu Ghosh, Annelies H. Goris, Michael Gurven, Lewis G. Halsey, Catherine Hambly, Hinke H. Haisma, Daniel Hoffman, Sumei Hu^*, Annemiek M. Joosen, Jennifer L. Kaplan, Peter Katzmarzyk, William E. Kraus, Robert F. Kushner, William R. Leonard, Marie Loef, Corby K. Martin, Eric Matsiko, Anine C. Medin, Erwin P. Meijer, Marian L. Neuhouser, Theresa A. Nicklas, Robert M. Ojiambo, Kirsi H. Pietilaeinen, Guy Plasqui, Giulio Valenti, Ludovicus van Etten, E.G. van Mil, Anura Kurpad^*, Amy H Luke^*, Herman Pontzer^*, Matthew S. Rodeheffer^*, Jennifer Rood^*, Dale A. Schoeller^*, William W. Wong^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

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Abstract

Obesity is caused by a prolonged positive energy balance(1,2). Whether reduced energy expenditure stemming from reduced activity levels contributes is debated(3,4). Here we show that in both sexes, total energy expenditure (TEE) adjusted for body composition and age declined since the late 1980s, while adjusted activity energy expenditure increased over time. We use the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labelled Water database on energy expenditure of adults in the United States and Europe (n = 4,799) to explore patterns in total (TEE: n = 4,799), basal (BEE: n = 1,432) and physical activity energy expenditure (n = 1,432) over time. In males, adjusted BEE decreased significantly, but in females this did not reach significance. A larger dataset of basal metabolic rate (equivalent to BEE) measurements of 9,912 adults across 163 studies spanning 100 years replicates the decline in BEE in both sexes. We conclude that increasing obesity in the United States/Europe has probably not been fuelled by reduced physical activity leading to lowered TEE. We identify here a decline in adjusted BEE as a previously unrecognized factor.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	579-588
Number of pages	10
Journal	Nature Metabolism
Volume	5
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2023

Keywords

RESTING METABOLIC-RATE
FATTY-ACID SYNTHASE
PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY
SEX-DIFFERENCES
WEIGHT-LOSS
BALANCE
OBESITY
HEALTH
TRENDS
COSTS

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10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2

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Speakman, J. R., de Jong, J. M. A., Sinha, S., Westerterp, K. R., Yamada, Y., Sagayama, H., Ainslie, P. N., Anderson, L. J., Arab, L., Bedu-Addo, K., Blanc, S., Bonomi, A. G., Bovet, P., Brage, S., Buchowski, M. S., Butte, N. F., Camps, S. G. J. A., Cooper, J. A., Cooper, R., ... Wong, W. W. (2023). Total daily energy expenditure has declined over the past three decades due to declining basal expenditure, not reduced activity expenditure. Nature Metabolism, 5(4), 579-588. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2

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title = "Total daily energy expenditure has declined over the past three decades due to declining basal expenditure, not reduced activity expenditure",

abstract = "Obesity is caused by a prolonged positive energy balance(1,2). Whether reduced energy expenditure stemming from reduced activity levels contributes is debated(3,4). Here we show that in both sexes, total energy expenditure (TEE) adjusted for body composition and age declined since the late 1980s, while adjusted activity energy expenditure increased over time. We use the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labelled Water database on energy expenditure of adults in the United States and Europe (n = 4,799) to explore patterns in total (TEE: n = 4,799), basal (BEE: n = 1,432) and physical activity energy expenditure (n = 1,432) over time. In males, adjusted BEE decreased significantly, but in females this did not reach significance. A larger dataset of basal metabolic rate (equivalent to BEE) measurements of 9,912 adults across 163 studies spanning 100 years replicates the decline in BEE in both sexes. We conclude that increasing obesity in the United States/Europe has probably not been fuelled by reduced physical activity leading to lowered TEE. We identify here a decline in adjusted BEE as a previously unrecognized factor.",

keywords = "RESTING METABOLIC-RATE, FATTY-ACID SYNTHASE, PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, SEX-DIFFERENCES, WEIGHT-LOSS, BALANCE, OBESITY, HEALTH, TRENDS, COSTS",

author = "Speakman, {John R.} and {de Jong}, {Jasper M. A.} and Srishti Sinha and Westerterp, {Klaas R.} and Yosuke Yamada and Hiroyuki Sagayama and Ainslie, {Philip N.} and Anderson, {Liam J.} and Lenore Arab and Kweku Bedu-Addo and Stephane Blanc and Bonomi, {Alberto G.} and Pascal Bovet and Soren Brage and Buchowski, {Maciej S.} and Butte, {Nancy F.} and Camps, {Stefan G. J. A.} and Cooper, {Jamie A.} and Richard Cooper and Das, {Sai Krupa} and Davies, {Peter S. W.} and Dugas, {Lara R.} and Ulf Ekelund and Sonja Entringer and Terrence Forrester and Fudge, {Barry W.} and Melanie Gillingham and Santu Ghosh and Goris, {Annelies H.} and Michael Gurven and Halsey, {Lewis G.} and Catherine Hambly and Haisma, {Hinke H.} and Daniel Hoffman and Sumei Hu and Joosen, {Annemiek M.} and Kaplan, {Jennifer L.} and Peter Katzmarzyk and Kraus, {William E.} and Kushner, {Robert F.} and Leonard, {William R.} and Marie Loef and Martin, {Corby K.} and Eric Matsiko and Medin, {Anine C.} and Meijer, {Erwin P.} and Neuhouser, {Marian L.} and Nicklas, {Theresa A.} and Ojiambo, {Robert M.} and Pietilaeinen, {Kirsi H.} and Guy Plasqui and Giulio Valenti and {van Etten}, Ludovicus and {van Mil}, E.G. and Anura Kurpad and Luke, {Amy H} and Herman Pontzer and Rodeheffer, {Matthew S.} and Jennifer Rood and Schoeller, {Dale A.} and Wong, {William W.}",

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doi = "10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2",

language = "English",

volume = "5",

pages = "579--588",

journal = "Nature Metabolism",

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Speakman, JR, de Jong, JMA, Sinha, S, Westerterp, KR, Yamada, Y, Sagayama, H, Ainslie, PN, Anderson, LJ, Arab, L, Bedu-Addo, K, Blanc, S, Bonomi, AG, Bovet, P, Brage, S, Buchowski, MS, Butte, NF, Camps, SGJA, Cooper, JA, Cooper, R, Das, SK, Davies, PSW, Dugas, LR, Ekelund, U, Entringer, S, Forrester, T, Fudge, BW, Gillingham, M, Ghosh, S, Goris, AH, Gurven, M, Halsey, LG, Hambly, C, Haisma, HH, Hoffman, D, Hu, S, Joosen, AM, Kaplan, JL, Katzmarzyk, P, Kraus, WE, Kushner, RF, Leonard, WR, Loef, M, Martin, CK, Matsiko, E, Medin, AC, Meijer, EP, Neuhouser, ML, Nicklas, TA, Ojiambo, RM, Pietilaeinen, KH, Plasqui, G, Valenti, G, van Etten, L, van Mil, EG, Kurpad, A, Luke, AH, Pontzer, H, Rodeheffer, MS, Rood, J, Schoeller, DA & Wong, WW 2023, 'Total daily energy expenditure has declined over the past three decades due to declining basal expenditure, not reduced activity expenditure', Nature Metabolism, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 579-588. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2

TY - JOUR

T1 - Total daily energy expenditure has declined over the past three decades due to declining basal expenditure, not reduced activity expenditure

AU - Speakman, John R.

AU - de Jong, Jasper M. A.

AU - Sinha, Srishti

AU - Westerterp, Klaas R.

AU - Yamada, Yosuke

AU - Sagayama, Hiroyuki

AU - Ainslie, Philip N.

AU - Anderson, Liam J.

AU - Arab, Lenore

AU - Bedu-Addo, Kweku

AU - Blanc, Stephane

AU - Bonomi, Alberto G.

AU - Bovet, Pascal

AU - Brage, Soren

AU - Buchowski, Maciej S.

AU - Butte, Nancy F.

AU - Camps, Stefan G. J. A.

AU - Cooper, Jamie A.

AU - Cooper, Richard

AU - Das, Sai Krupa

AU - Davies, Peter S. W.

AU - Dugas, Lara R.

AU - Ekelund, Ulf

AU - Entringer, Sonja

AU - Forrester, Terrence

AU - Fudge, Barry W.

AU - Gillingham, Melanie

AU - Ghosh, Santu

AU - Goris, Annelies H.

AU - Gurven, Michael

AU - Halsey, Lewis G.

AU - Hambly, Catherine

AU - Haisma, Hinke H.

AU - Hoffman, Daniel

AU - Hu, Sumei

AU - Joosen, Annemiek M.

AU - Kaplan, Jennifer L.

AU - Katzmarzyk, Peter

AU - Kraus, William E.

AU - Kushner, Robert F.

AU - Leonard, William R.

AU - Loef, Marie

AU - Martin, Corby K.

AU - Matsiko, Eric

AU - Medin, Anine C.

AU - Meijer, Erwin P.

AU - Neuhouser, Marian L.

AU - Nicklas, Theresa A.

AU - Ojiambo, Robert M.

AU - Pietilaeinen, Kirsi H.

AU - Plasqui, Guy

AU - Valenti, Giulio

AU - van Etten, Ludovicus

AU - van Mil, E.G.

AU - Kurpad, Anura

AU - Luke, Amy H

AU - Pontzer, Herman

AU - Rodeheffer, Matthew S.

AU - Rood, Jennifer

AU - Schoeller, Dale A.

AU - Wong, William W.

PY - 2023/4/1

Y1 - 2023/4/1

N2 - Obesity is caused by a prolonged positive energy balance(1,2). Whether reduced energy expenditure stemming from reduced activity levels contributes is debated(3,4). Here we show that in both sexes, total energy expenditure (TEE) adjusted for body composition and age declined since the late 1980s, while adjusted activity energy expenditure increased over time. We use the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labelled Water database on energy expenditure of adults in the United States and Europe (n = 4,799) to explore patterns in total (TEE: n = 4,799), basal (BEE: n = 1,432) and physical activity energy expenditure (n = 1,432) over time. In males, adjusted BEE decreased significantly, but in females this did not reach significance. A larger dataset of basal metabolic rate (equivalent to BEE) measurements of 9,912 adults across 163 studies spanning 100 years replicates the decline in BEE in both sexes. We conclude that increasing obesity in the United States/Europe has probably not been fuelled by reduced physical activity leading to lowered TEE. We identify here a decline in adjusted BEE as a previously unrecognized factor.

AB - Obesity is caused by a prolonged positive energy balance(1,2). Whether reduced energy expenditure stemming from reduced activity levels contributes is debated(3,4). Here we show that in both sexes, total energy expenditure (TEE) adjusted for body composition and age declined since the late 1980s, while adjusted activity energy expenditure increased over time. We use the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labelled Water database on energy expenditure of adults in the United States and Europe (n = 4,799) to explore patterns in total (TEE: n = 4,799), basal (BEE: n = 1,432) and physical activity energy expenditure (n = 1,432) over time. In males, adjusted BEE decreased significantly, but in females this did not reach significance. A larger dataset of basal metabolic rate (equivalent to BEE) measurements of 9,912 adults across 163 studies spanning 100 years replicates the decline in BEE in both sexes. We conclude that increasing obesity in the United States/Europe has probably not been fuelled by reduced physical activity leading to lowered TEE. We identify here a decline in adjusted BEE as a previously unrecognized factor.

KW - RESTING METABOLIC-RATE

KW - FATTY-ACID SYNTHASE

KW - PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY

KW - SEX-DIFFERENCES

KW - WEIGHT-LOSS

KW - BALANCE

KW - OBESITY

KW - HEALTH

KW - TRENDS

KW - COSTS

U2 - 10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2

DO - 10.1038/s42255-023-00782-2

M3 - Article

C2 - 37100994

SN - 2522-5812

VL - 5

SP - 579

EP - 588

JO - Nature Metabolism

JF - Nature Metabolism

IS - 4

ER -