Daily energy expenditure through the human life course

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Doubly Labeled Water (DLW) Database Consortium, Carlijn V.C. Bouten

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

288 Citations (Scopus)
1146 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Total daily energy expenditure ("total expenditure") reflects daily energy needs and is a critical variable in human health and physiology, but its trajectory over the life course is poorly studied. We analyzed a large, diverse database of total expenditure measured by the doubly labeled water method for males and females aged 8 days to 95 years. Total expenditure increased with fat-free mass in a power-law manner, with four distinct life stages. Fat-free mass-adjusted expenditure accelerates rapidly in neonates to ~50% above adult values at ~1 year; declines slowly to adult levels by ~20 years; remains stable in adulthood (20 to 60 years), even during pregnancy; then declines in older adults. These changes shed light on human development and aging and should help shape nutrition and health strategies across the life span.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbereabe5017
Pages (from-to)808-812
Number of pages5
JournalScience
Volume373
Issue number6556
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 Aug 2021

Funding

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Acronym: NIDDK Funding numbers: R01DK080763 Funding numbers: R01DK085163 Funding numbers: P30DK072476 Funding numbers: R01DK074387 Funding numbers: R01DK080760 Funding numbers: R01DK056781 Funding numbers: K23DK068052 Funding numbers: R01DK030031 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Acronym: NIAMS Funding numbers: U01AR071160 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Acronym: NICHD Funding numbers: ZIAHD000641 National Center for Research Resources Acronym: NCRR Funding numbers: S10RR026764

FundersFunder number
National Science FoundationBCS-1824466
National Institute on AgingR01AG029914, U01AG020478, U01AG022132, R56AG067200, U01AG020480
National Cancer InstituteR01CA119171
International Atomic Energy Agency

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