Puberty calorie burn fall 'could explain obesity rise'

[Northerner]

A rise in obesity in adolescents may be down to a sharp drop in the amount of calories they burn while resting.

A study in the International Journal of Diabetes found energy used at rest was 25% lower in 15-year-olds compared with when they were 10 - a fall of 500 calories a day.

This is equivalent to cutting out an hour's strenuous exercise every day.

The study said the findings were unexpected but could help explain why a lot of teenagers put on excess weight.

Most of the energy people burn is just to keep their bodies ticking over - using the brain, heart, liver and kidneys - rather than through physical activity.

In a decade-long study following 279 children, researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School were surprised to find the number of calories the children burned at rest fell sharply during puberty.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37297812

 

[mikeyB]

That's really interesting because it's counter intuitive.

 

[Robin]

I certainly remember starting to put on weight when I was around 14-15. I put it down to the fact that I had stopped growing upwards, so it stood to reason that if I carried on eating the same, I'd grow outwards instead.

 

[Northerner]

I certainly remember starting to put on weight when I was around 14-15. I put it down to the fact that I had stopped growing upwards, so it stood to reason that if I carried on eating the same, I'd grow outwards instead.

Hehe! 🙂 I was about 40 before I started to put on weight! 😱

 

[mikeyB]

Aye, I think the weight gain might be less in adolescent boys because of the energy consumed in vigorous self abuse. This is just a theory, mind.

 

[Robin]

Hehe! 🙂 I was about 40 before I started to put on weight! 😱

Same with my husband, It must be a man thing. I must confess to a touch of schadenfreude when he started to grow out of his waistbands round about the age of 40.

 

[mikeyB]

Same with my husband, It must be a man thing. I must confess to a touch of schadenfreude when he started to grow out of his waistbands round about the age of 40.

Must be a popular spectator sport among wives and partners

 

[Northerner]

Same with my husband, It must be a man thing. I must confess to a touch of schadenfreude when he started to grow out of his waistbands round about the age of 40.

Since I stopped drinking alcohol, all the weight has gone and the waistband is now very loose! 😱 🙂 For me, it looks like my ability to burn off the effects of alcohol declined after 40! 🙂

 

[Robin]

Since I stopped drinking alcohol, all the weight has gone and the waistband is now very loose! 😱 🙂 For me, it looks like my ability to burn off the effects of alcohol declined after 40! 🙂

I think my husband's ability to burn off chocolate digestives declined! We now both do the 5:2 diet whenever the scales start creeping up again.