| energy balance | The state in which energy
intake, in the form of food and beverages,
matches the energy expended, primarily
through basal metabolism and physical
activity.
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| positive energy balance | The state in
which energy intake is greater than energy
expended, generally resulting in weight gain.
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| negative energy balance | The state in
which energy intake is less than energy
expended, resulting in weight loss.
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| bomb colorimeter | An instrument used to
determine the calorie content of a food.
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| basal metabolism | The minimal amount of
calories the body uses to support itself in a fasting
state when resting (e.g., 12 hours for both)
and awake in a warm, quiet environment. It
amounts to roughly 1 kcal per kilogram per
hour for men and 0.9 kcal per kilogram
per hour for women; these values are often
referred to as basal metabolic rate (BMR).
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| resting metabolism | The amount of calories
the body uses when the person has not eaten
in 4 hours and is resting (e.g., 15 to 30 minutes)
and awake in a warm, quiet environment.
It is roughly 6% higher than basal
metabolism due to the less strict criteria for
the test; often referred to as resting metabolic
rate (RMR).
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| lean body mass | Body weight minus fat
storage weight equals lean body mass. This
includes organs such as the brain, muscles,
and liver, as well as blood and other body
fluids.
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| thermic effect of food (TEF) | The increase
in metabolism that occurs during the
digestion, absorption, and metabolism of
energy-yielding nutrients. This represents 5%
to 10% of calories consumed.
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| thermogenesis | This term encompasses the
ability of humans to regulate body temperature
within narrow limits (thermoregulation).
Two visible examples of thermogenesis are
fidgeting and shivering when cold. Other
terms used to describe thermogenesis include
adaptive thermogenesis and nonexercise activity
thermogenesis (NEAT).
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| brown adipose tissue | A specialized form
of adipose tissue that produces large amounts
of heat by metabolizing energy-yielding nutrients
without synthesizing much useful energy
for the body. The unused energy is released as
heat.
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| direct calorimetry | A method of determining
a body’s energy use by measuring heat
that is released from the body, usually using
an insulated chamber.
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| indirect calorimetry | A method to measure
energy use by the body by measuring oxygen
uptake. Formulas are then used to convert
this gas exchange value into energy use.
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| body mass index (BMI) | Weight (in kilograms)
divided by height (in meters) squared;
a value of 25 and above indicates overweight
and a value of 30 and above indicates obesity.
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| underwater weighing | Amethod of
estimating total body fat by weighing the
individual on a standard scale and then
weighing him or her again submerged in
water. The difference between the two weights
is used to estimate total body volume.
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| air displacement | A method for estimating
body composition that makes use of the
volume of space taken up by a body inside a
small chamber.
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| bioelectrical impedance | The method to
estimate total body fat that uses a low-energy
electrical current. The more fat storage a person
has, the more impedance (resistance) to
electrical flow will be exhibited.
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| dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) | A highly accurate method of
measuring body composition and bone mass
and density using multiple low-energy X rays.
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| upper-body obesity | The type of obesity in
which fat is stored primarily in the abdominal
area; defined as a waist circumference more
than 40 inches (102 centimeters) in men and
more than 35 inches (89 centimeters) in
women; closely associated with a high risk for
cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type
2 diabetes.
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| lower-body obesity | The type of obesity in
which fat storage is primarily located in the
buttocks and thigh area.
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| set point | Often refers to the close regulation
of body weight. It is not known what cells
control this set point or how it actually functions
in weight regulation. There is evidence,
however, that mechanisms exist that help
regulate weight.
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| food insecurity | A condition of anxiety regarding
running out of either food or money
to buy more food.
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| chain-breaking | Breaking the link between
two or more behaviors that encourage
overeating, such as snacking while watching
television.
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| stimulus control | Altering the environment
to minimize the stimuli for eating—for example,
removing foods from sight and storing
them in kitchen cabinets.
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| cognitive restructuring | Changing one’s
frame of mind regarding eating—for example,
instead of using a difficult day as an excuse
to overeat, substituting other pleasures for
rewards, such as a relaxing walk with a friend.
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| contingency management | Forming a plan
of action to respond to a situation in which
overeating is likely, such as when snacks are
within arm’s reach at a party.
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| self-monitoring | Tracking foods eaten and
conditions affecting eating; actions are usually
recorded in a diary, along with location, time,
and state of mind. This is a tool to help people
understand more about their eating
habits.
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| relapse prevention | A series of strategies
used to help prevent and cope with weightcontrol
lapses, such as recognizing high-risk
situations and deciding beforehand on appropriate
responses.
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| amphetamine | A group of medications that
induce stimulation of the central nervous
system, and have other effects in the body.
Abuse is linked to physical and psychological
dependence.
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| very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) | Known also
as protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF), this
diet allows a person 400 to 800 kcal per day,
often in liquid form. Of this, 120 to 480 kcal
is carbohydrate, and the rest is mostly highquality
protein.
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| underweight | A body mass index below
18.5. The cutoff is less precise than for obesity
because this condition has been less studied.
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