10 kilogram Weight Gain!!
Since 1970 the average American has increased their body weight by an additional 10 kilograms.
Apparently no category of society has escaped some weight gain particularly over the last 47 years. The easiest way to explain this weight gain is by reporting that we eat more than what we did in 1970 and as a consequence we have become fatter and increased our BMI.
Are we sure that it was caused by eating too much?
One interesting fact that challenges this statement is that Britain has nearly doubled its obesity levels since the 1980s, yet the amount of food that people eat if anything has reportedly decreased. The reason given for this anomaly has been the inaccuracies in energy intakes assessment procedures. If this statement is correct what then could have contributed so significantly to this striking increase in body weight.
In light of this controversy it makes sense to identify what makes up our energy expenditure.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is divided in to three phases.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the energy expenditure at rest or the time in sedentary movements. In inactive individuals this could as much as 65% of their total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
Secondly TEF or the Thermal Effect of Food is the energy expenditure associated with the consumption, digestion and absorption of food. This accounts for approximately 10-15% of the TDEE. This can be affected by the food that we consume. E.g. proteins because of their structure require more energy to breakdown than say carbohydrates.
Lastly, Physical Activity Energy Expenditure (Activity Thermogenesis) is the amount of time spent in performing normal daily tasks, sporting activities and or the time we spend in structured exercise activities.
Dr James Levine was one of the first researchers to further divide Physical Activity Thermogenesis into a N.E.A.T group and an Exercise Thermogenesis group. NEAT stands for “Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis”. Both categories can account for between 15%-35% of TDEE.
NEAT is the energy expenditure associated with all forms of movement undertaken during the course of the day. Activities include occupational activities, transport to and from work, sitting, standing, walking, shopping, washing the car, sweeping, dancing, etc.
Exercise Thermogenesis is the energy expenditure that occurs as a result of specific fitness training.
N.E.A.T
NEAT appears to be the most significant contributor to TDEE. NEAT is also regarded as the most variable and least predictable component of energy expenditure ranging from 15% in some to over 50% in other very active people. The more activity that we perform at work or during domestic activity the greater our NEAT potential.
The accumulation of low to moderate intensity multiple movements over an extended time period can have a greater impact on energy expenditure than short bursts of intense activity that might be prescribed in a structured fitness session. More information is being reported suggesting that the intensity is not as critical as the volume of movement completed.
In overfeeding studies subjects who have the greatest NEAT still lost the most weight when compared to those subjects who were overfeed and reduced their NEAT.
Generally, with underfeeding or energy restrictive diets, NEAT decreases. NEAT can measured by: TDEE – (BMR + TEF)
Active Lifestyle energy expenditure is now becoming a significant component of the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). For example, the longer the standing periods and the greater ambulation speed and duration the greater increase energy expenditure.
While this application may be limited in some work environments it could be used very effectively during transport to and from work, at home while performing domestic duties, school or college attendance and during leisure time to control body weight or manipulated to cause significant weight loss.
If going to the gym or Personal Training sessions is not your thing.. think again and look for ways to increase your NEAT.
For example if I weighed 80 kilograms and spent an hour cleaning the house, washing up, putting the dishes away at a low level of intensity of 3 METS I would still potentially expend 216 Kcals per hour.
If I washed the car, did some gardening, mowed the lawn for an hour at a moderate level of intensity of 6 METS my 80 kilogram body would expend 504 Kcals per hour.
These figures are not to be scoffed at. They are significant increases in Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
So.. throw out all your labour saving devices, park the car in the garage, dismiss the gardener or the housecleaning person and get back into NEAT.
To give some idea of the magnitude we can achieve in increasing energy expenditure the following figures represent people of different body weight working at 3 METS and also comparing to same person working at 6 METS.
How many Kcal can you expect to burn..
Find your body weight (or close to it) and see how much energy you would expend at 3 METs (Light intensity) and 6 METs (moderate intensity) of everyday activity.
At 3 METS (Light Intensity)
60 kg person expends 3.15 Kcals/min = 31.5 Kcal/10 mins OR 189 Kcals/hour
70 kg expends 3.6 Kcals/min = 36 Kcals/10 mins OR 216 Kcals/hour
80 kg expends 4.25 Kcals/min = 42.5 Kcals/10 mins OR 255 Kcals/hour
90 kg expends 4.7 Kcals/min = 47 Kcals/10 mins OR 282 Kcals/hour
100 kg expends 5.25 Kcals/min = 52.5 Kcals/10 mins OR 315 Kcals/hour
110 kg expends 5.75 Kcals/min = 57.5 Kcals/10 mins OR 345 Kcals/hour
120 kg expends 6.3 Kcals/min = 63 Kcals/10 mins OR 378 Kcals/hour AT 6 METS (Moderate Intensity)
60 kg person expends 6.3 Kcal/min = 63 Kcals/10 mins OR 378 Kcals/hour
70 kg expends 7.35 Kcals/min = 73.5 Kcals/10 mins OR 441 Kcals/hour
80 kg expends 8.4 Kcals/min = 84 Kcals/10 mins OR 504 Kcals/hour
90 kg expends 9.45 Kcals/min = 94.5 Kcals/10 mins OR 567 Kcals/hour
100 kg expends 10.5 Kcals/min = 105 Kcals/10 mins OR 603 Kcals/hour
110 kg expends 11.5 Kcals/min = 115 Kcals/10 mins OR 690 Kcals/hour
120 kg expends 12.6 Kcals/min = 126 Kcals/10 mins OR 756 Kcals/hour
The choice is now yours…
A series of articles from Dr Paul Batman Phd