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Daily energy expenditure through the human life course

Herman Pontzer, Yosuke Yamada, Hiroyuki Sagayama

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Philip N. Ainslie, Lene F. Andersen, Liam J. Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issaad Baddou, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E. Blaak, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G. Bonomi, Carlijn V. C. Bouten, Pascal Bovet, Maciej S. Buchowski, Nancy F. Butte, Stefan G. Camps, Graeme L. Close, Jamie A. Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Lara R. Dugas, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W. Fudge, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Catherine Hambly, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Marjije 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 Martin, Anine C. Medin, Erwin P. Meijer, James C. Morehen, James P. Morton, Marian L. Neuhouser, Teresa A. Nicklas, Robert M. Ojiambo, Kirsi H. Pietiläinen, Yannis P. Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L. Prentice, Roberto A. Rabinovich, Susan B. Racette, David A. Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Susan B. Roberts, Albertine J. Schuit, Anders M. Sjödin, Eric Stice, Samuel S. Urlacher, Giulio Valenti, Ludo M. Van Etten, Edgar A. Van Mil, Jonathan C. K. Wells, George Wilson, Brian M. Wood, Jack Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J. Murphy-Alford, Cornelia Loechl, Amy H. Luke, Jennifer Rood, Dale A. Schoeller, Klaas R. Westerterp, William W. Wong, John R. Speakman, IAEA DLW Database Consortium§

2021 · Science

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From the abstract

A lifetime of change Measurements of total and basal energy in a large cohort of subjects at ages spanning from before birth to old age document distinct changes that occur during a human lifetime. Pontzer et al . report that energy expenditure (adjusted for weight) in neonates was like that of adults but increased substantially in the first year of life (see the Perspective by Rhoads and Anderson). It then gradually declined until young individuals reached adult characteristics, which were maintained from age 20 to 60 years. Older individuals showed reduced energy expenditure. Tissue metabolism thus appears not to be constant but rather to undergo transitions at critical junctures. —LBR

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6 selected excerpts · 6 total mentions

Brybry
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That doesn't seem to be what the study they cited said though. Basically the common model was that metabolism steadily declines with age (for adults). The study cited[1] says that doesn't match their data. What they found was that metabolism was higher than expected for kids 1-20, stable for adults 21-60, and lower than expected for senior adults 60+. [2] I don't want to say thresholds but you can look at the figures and see the rapid increase (0-1), decline (1-20), stability (21-60), and decline again (60+). So age probably matters more to metabolism (than we thought) for some age groups but not for other age groups. And I don't think there was really anything about…
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lifestyle other than this bit: > consistent with the hypothesis that energy intake is coupled to expenditure But obviously that won't help anyone lose weight (which is usually what people are complaining about when they complain about an assumed slowing metabolism) cause it's saying people take in more calories when they burn more calories. [1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe5017 [2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/surprising-findings-abou...
Original comment It's not your age that's slowing your metabolism, new research says (2021)
silicon2401
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> being young and having an insane metabolism curious, how young do you mean? Human metabolism doesn't really change during adulthood until old age: > Fat-free mass–adjusted expenditure [...] remains stable in adulthood (20 to 60 years), even during pregnancy; then declines in older adults. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe5017
Original comment Thoughts on the potato diet
silicon2401
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I agree, and I think you also see the same with physical health. Our metabolism doesn't actually decline until we're in middle age (nor do you need to ramp up your calories during pregnancy) [1]. The only reason people get fatter over time is because they just keep overeating, and probably get more sedentary over time to boot. Knowing this has really motivated me to build a lifestyle that demands consistent and significant effort that I can sustain throughout my entire life: challenging and diverse mental stimulation, diverse and frequent but low-impact exercise, and lastly, a satisfying and nutritious diet that doesn't cause me to gain weight. It's amazing to learn how…
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strong and durable our bodies are, and inspirational to see how much potential we actually have. 1: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe5017 > [energy expenditure] remains stable in adulthood (20 to 60 years), even during pregnancy; then declines in older adults.
Original comment Mental speed is high until age sixty

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