Energy balance

How it is used

A basic concept in weight management, sports nutrition and research. People talk about positive energy balance, when intake is higher than expenditure and weight goes up, and negative energy balance, when intake is lower. It is often explained as 'energy in' and 'energy out'.

Example sentences

1. During a growth spurt, teenagers need to be in a positive energy balance.

2. Energy balance is influenced by sleep, stress and medication, not just food and exercise.

Common collocations

• positive energy balance
• negative energy balance
• energy intake
• energy expenditure

Related terms

• calorieA unit for measuring the energy that food and drink provide and the body uses. On food labels and in nutrition, 'calorie' usually means a kilocalorie (kcal).
• calorie deficitA state in which a person takes in fewer calories than the body uses, so that the body draws on stored energy and body weight tends to go down.
• basal metabolic rateThe amount of energy the body uses at complete rest to keep basic functions such as breathing, circulation and cell repair going. It is usually the largest part of daily energy use.
• weight managementThe long-term process of reaching and keeping a body weight that supports health, through eating habits, physical activity, behavior change and, when needed, medical treatment.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• energy balance · Chemical Engineering

More terms: Energy Balance and Body Weight

• obesity
• body composition
• lean body mass