ENERGY EXPENDITURE (EE) & BODY WEIGHT

The ability to store unused energy (surplus to immediate requirements) is an obvious asset when food availability is erratic (irregular) and more especially when scarce.
However a continuous (regular) surplus can in time result in overweight and ultimately obesity.
Thus to correct (or prevent) obesity both EE (energy expenditure) and EI (energy intake) need to be quantified as clearly (unambiguously) as possible.

QUANTIFYING THE INCREASE IN EE LINKED TO A SPECIFIC PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The EE linked to a specific physical activity (walking for example) only replaces the EE linked to the activity (TV watching, resting, sleeping, etc.) it has displaced.
Failure to realise this can lead to incorrect daily EE totals.

The following example is used to illustrate this.
[To calculate the increase in EE for an adult (weighing 79 kilograms) when 55 minutes of TV watching is replaced by a 3.5 mph (miles per hour) walk.
The following quantities (see: Obesity Simplex in Google Search page 1) are taken into account:
(a) EE per kilogram per minute walked at 3.5 mph = 0.06292 Calories
{EE per pound per minute walked at 3.5 mph} = 0.0286 Calories}
(b) EE per kilogram per minute of TV watching = 0.0165 Calories]
{EE per pound per minute of TV watching} = 0.0075 Calories}]

Calculation:

EE during walk = 79 (weight) x 0.06292 (Calories per minute) x 55 (minutes)
= 273.40 Calories
EE during TV watching = 79 x 0.0165 x 55
= 71.70 Calories
Therefore the increase in EE = 273.40 – 71.70 Calories
= 201.70 Calories

[Note:

1) Calculations which do not take into account body weight are misleading (ambiguous).
2) A heavier person’s EE linked to a specific physical activity is greater than that of someone who is lighter (for that very same activity if carried out for the same length of time).
3) Consequently a heavier person needs to spend less time on a specific physical activity to achieve the same EE as a lighter person. This fact may be regarded as the sole advantage that a heavier body weight can bring.
4) Calculations in pounds of body weight should be based on appropriate {figures} above.]