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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Energy Balance and Body Weight

Lean body mass

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCommon term

In nutrition & dietetics, lean body mass means: The weight of everything in the body except stored fat, including muscle, bone, organs and water. It is closely linked to strength and energy needs.

In Turkish: yağsız vücut kütlesi, yağsız kütle

How it is used

Used in sports nutrition, aging and clinical care, often abbreviated LBM. Dietitians aim to 'preserve' or 'maintain' lean body mass during weight loss and illness. It is often used interchangeably with 'fat-free mass', although strictly speaking lean mass includes a small amount of essential fat.

Example sentences

  1. Resistance training helps preserve lean body mass during weight loss.

  2. Her lean body mass dropped by 3 kg during the hospital stay.

Common collocations

  • preserve lean body mass
  • fat-free mass
  • lean mass
  • loss of lean body mass
  • body compositionThe proportions of fat, muscle, bone and water that make up a person's body. It gives more information about health than body weight alone.
  • proteinA macronutrient made of amino acids that the body uses to build and repair muscles, organs, skin, enzymes and hormones. It provides about 4 kcal per gram.
  • 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.
  • BMIBody mass index: a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters. It is used to classify adult weight as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obesity.

More terms: Energy Balance and Body Weight

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.