Episode 97 - EAT and NEAT

Episode 97: EAT and NEAT. 

Your body burns calories not only if you exercise. Sapna, Danish, and Dr. Arreaza explain the different ways you can burn more calories.

Introduction: Energy in and Energy out
By Hector Arreaza, MD. Read by Suraj Amrutia. 

Our bodies are not machines. The simplistic concepts of energy balance, i.e., “energy in and energy out,” are influenced by a myriad of physiological processes and systems that include neurotransmitters, hormones, genetic and epigenetic factors, and many more. The combination of all these processes is called metabolism. The use of energy varies greatly among humans, that is why we come in many shapes and forms. If we apply the principles of thermodynamics to humans, people who eat the same amount of calories, have the same body weight, and have the same level of physical activity should have the same weight. But that theory has been debunked by multiple studies. That explains, for example, why some people who are naturally “thin” can remain thin regardless of their caloric intake and their physical activity. Today we will explain how our bodies use the energy that goes in, or in other words, how we spend our calories. We hope you enjoy this conversation. 

This is Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast, your weekly dose of knowledge brought to you by the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program from Bakersfield, California. Our program is affiliated with UCLA, and it’s sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Let Us Be Your Healthcare Home. This podcast was created for educational purposes only. Visit your primary care physician for additional medical advice.

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EAT and NEAT. 
By Hector Arreaza, MD; Sapna Patel, MS IV; and Danish Khalid, MS IV.  

A: Energy expenditure is the amount of energy people need to carry out their physical functions. Energy expenditure is made up of resting metabolic rate, physical activity, and dietary thermogenesis. The widest variance in energy expenditure among most individuals is physical activity.

S: For individuals with moderate physical inactivity the distribution of energy expenditure is:

~70% resting metabolic rate, ~20% physical activity, ~10% diet-induced thermogenesis.

D: Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT) consists of physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitive done with the purpose of improving our well-being. Some EAT include sports, gym, etc. 

Just like gasoline for motor vehicles, available energy in muscle (ATP) is used for mechanical work, and some energy is released as heat (thermogenesis). The efficiency in converting ATP to mechanical work is ~30%; it means that out of 100 ATPs produced, 30 result in muscle work. 

A: An increase in body temperature triggers the CNS to cool the body via increased dilation of skin smooth muscle blood vessels, increased heart rate, and increased sweat production – all that help facilitate the release of heat during physical exercise. 

S: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) consists of physical activity that is not typically considered exercise (e.g., maintaining posture, standing, walking, stair climbing, fidgeting, cleaning, singing, and other activities of daily living.) Walking can be considered EAT or NEAT.

NEAT often represents the widest variance in total energy expenditure among individuals. NEAT can range between 150-500 kcal/day, which is often greater than bouts of exercise. 

D: NEAT is an example of a behavioral factor to explain the perception that some people are “naturally skinny” and can maintain a healthier body weight compared to others, even with the same caloric intake and same routine “exercise” activity. Increasing your number of steps per day can be achieved by altering daily activity, or by scheduled walking/running. 

S: For example: Parking far away, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, going to your coworker’s office instead of calling.

A: You can monitor your number of steps per day with a pedometer or other tracking device (cell phone). The number of steps recorded by different pedometers can vary.

D: Less than 5,000 steps/day is average for U.S. adults, and it is considered sedentary.

S: 5,000 – 7,5000 steps/day is low active, and 7,500 – 10,000 steps/day is somewhat active.

A: More than 10,000 steps/day is desirable (active). 

10,000 steps per day x 7 days per week x one calorie per 20 steps = 3,500 calories burned per week.

D: On average, 1 calorie is “burned” for every 20 steps, it means 4,000 steps / 20 = 200 calories.

S: Definition of rest days. Rest days are any days that don’t involve heavy lifting and focus on cardio or core exercises. Rest days are an important part of any exercise routine as it gives your body a chance to repair and recover. At least one rest every week. 

D: On the other hand, workout days involve heavy lifting: push, pull, legs, etc. For example, on rest days I do cardio and abs.

Conclusion: Now we conclude our episode number 97 “EAT and NEAT.” Keep in mind the ways your body uses the energy you put in. Energy is used by our resting metabolic rate, our exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT), our non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), and our food-associated thermogenesis (the energy we burned while we eat). We tend to underestimate the power of NEAT, but parking your car far away, taking the stairs, and increasing your daily steps can make a big difference in your daily energy expenditure. Let’s remember the virtues of physical activity to promote good health. Even without trying, every night you go to bed being a little wiser.

This week we thank Hector Arreaza, Sapna Patel, and Danish Khalid. Audio edition: Suraj Amrutia. Thanks for listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast. If you have any feedback, contact us by email at [email protected], or visit our website riobravofmrp.org/qweek. See you next week! 

References:

Levine JA. Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): environment and biology. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2004 May;286(5):E675-85. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00562.2003. Erratum in: Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Jan;288(1):E285. PMID: 15102614.

Bays, Harold E. and William McCarthy, Obesity Algorithm® 2021©, Obesity Medicine Association.