What Does energy expenditure Mean
The notion of spending refers to the act of spending . This verb, in turn, is usually associated with money, although it can also refer to "use or consume something." Energetic , for its part, is that linked to energy : the ability to carry out work.
The notion of energy expenditure is used with reference to the amount of energy that the body needs to carry out its activities and functions . This amount, measured in calories , is calculated according to the use of the energy that is conserved in the chemical bonds of the nutrients.
The body carries out numerous actions constantly: from forming and repairing tissues to digesting food, passing through respiration, the conduction of nerve impulses and the maintenance of body temperature. All these processes require energy to take place. Energy expenditure is that energy that the body demands to function properly.
There is, therefore, an energy requirement that must be satisfied through food so that the body can achieve the necessary energy expenditure. This means that people , in order for their bodies to function well, must eat foods that provide them with energy.
The difference between the energy requirement (which is determined according to the energy expenditure) and the energy intake (which is specified through food) is called the energy balance , which can be negative (the energy is not enough), neutral (the expenditure and energy intakes are equal) or positive (a greater amount of energy is ingested than is expended).
The energy balance must be neutral so that the body can develop in balance; In other words, it should consume the same amount of energy that it uses. It is important to understand that our body carries out a constant energy expenditure, for all its activities, although it may not seem like it at first glance.
Among the phenomena through which the human body expends its energy, the following three stand out: voluntary physical activity; the thermal effect of food (abbreviated ETA ); the expense we make in a state of rest ( GER ). Except in the cases of highly active people, the highest portion of total energy expenditure (ie, GET ) is that which occurs during rest.
There is, on the other hand, the concept of basal metabolism , which is often mentioned in the same context of energy expenditure . Another name by which it is known is basal metabolic output , and it is a process that has a direct relationship with active cell mass, that is, with the number and dimensions of active cells that an organism has.
In each individual, the value of the active cell mass is different according to their age, the phase of their growth and the characteristics of their body (composition and size). The energy used during this process goes to three others: half is used for the metabolism of cells; 40%, for molecular synthesis (especially proteins); the remaining 10% is used for internal mechanical work, which includes the contraction of the heart and the action of the respiratory muscles.
The concepts of energy expenditure at rest and basal metabolic rate are often confused , but there is a clear difference between them, which revolves around their measurement : the former is measured at least 3 hours after the last meal, at any time of the day; the second, on the other hand, in the morning, in a state of absolute physical and mental relaxation, around 10 hours after the last meal.