Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Nov;90(5):1336-42.
doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.27659. Epub 2009 Sep 9.

Activity energy expenditure and change in body composition in late life

Todd M Manini  1 , James E Everhart, Stephen D Anton, Dale A Schoeller, Steve R Cummings, Dawn C Mackey, Matthew J Delmonico, Douglas C Bauer, Eleanor M Simonsick, Lisa H Colbert, Marjolein Visser, Frances Tylavsky, Anne B Newman, Tamara B Harris
Affiliations

Activity energy expenditure and change in body composition in late life

Todd M Manini et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Nov.

Abstract

Background: Change in body composition, specifically loss of fat-free mass and gain in fat mass, in older adults is a major pathway leading to the onset of functional decline and physical disability.

Objective: The objective was to determine the association of activity-related energy expenditure with change in body mass and composition among older men and women.

Design: Total energy expenditure (TEE) was assessed over 2 wk by using the doubly labeled water method in 302 community-dwelling older adults aged 70-82 y. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured by using indirect calorimetry, and the thermic effect of meals was estimated at 10% of TEE. Activity energy expenditure (AEE) was calculated as [TEE(0.9) - RMR]. Total body mass, fat-free mass (FFM), and fat mass (FM) were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry annually over a mean (+/-SD) of 4.9 +/- 1.3 y.

Results: In multivariate models adjusted for baseline age, smoking status, and race, men and women had a decline (in kg/y) in body mass (men: -0.34, 95% CI: -0.71, 0.02; women: -0.45, 95% CI: -0.71, -0.19) and FFM (men: -0.48, 95% CI: -0.67, -0.29; women: -0.14, 95% CI: -0.026, -0.03). No changes (in kg/y) were observed in FM (men: 0.14, 95% CI: -0.10, 0.38; women: -0.28, 95% CI: -0.49, -0.07). In men and women, higher AEE at baseline was associated with greater FFM. The average change in these outcomes (ie, slope), however, was similar across tertiles of AEE.

Conclusions: These data suggest that accumulated energy expenditure from all physical activities is associated with greater FFM, but the effect does not alter the trajectory of FFM change in late life.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Mean (±SE) longitudinal changes in body composition over an average of 4.9 y of follow-up according to tertiles of activity energy expenditure (AEE) in men and women. Values are predicted from linear mixed models (described in Subjects and Methods) by using Equation 1 (see text). The results suggest that body mass and fat-free mass decline with age, but this change was not predicted by an individual's AEE.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

  • The Relationship between Resting Metabolic Rate and Body Composition in People Living with Overweight and Obesity.
    Gitsi E, Kokkinos A, Konstantinidou SK, Livadas S, Argyrakopoulou G. Gitsi E, et al. J Clin Med. 2024 Oct 1;13(19):5862. doi: 10.3390/jcm13195862. J Clin Med. 2024. PMID: 39407922 Free PMC article.
  • Linoleic Acid Intake and Physical Function: Pilot Results from the Health ABC Energy Expenditure Sub-Study.
    Belury MA, Clark BC, McGrath R, Cawthon PM. Belury MA, et al. Adv Geriatr Med Res. 2022;4(1):e220001. doi: 10.20900/agmr20220001. Epub 2022 Feb 16. Adv Geriatr Med Res. 2022. PMID: 35368862 Free PMC article.
  • Physical activity and fat-free mass during growth and in later life.
    Westerterp KR, Yamada Y, Sagayama H, Ainslie PN, Andersen LF, Anderson LJ, Arab L, Baddou I, Bedu-Addo K, Blaak EE, Blanc S, Bonomi AG, Bouten CVC, Bovet P, Buchowski MS, Butte NF, Camps SGJA, Close GL, Cooper JA, Das SK, Cooper R, Dugas LR, Ekelund U, Entringer S, Forrester T, Fudge BW, Goris AH, Gurven M, Hambly C, El Hamdouchi A, Hoos MB, Hu S, Joonas N, Joosen AM, Katzmarzyk P, Kempen KP, Kimura M, Kraus WE, Kushner RF, Lambert EV, Leonard WR, Lessan N, Martin CK, Medin AC, Meijer EP, Morehen JC, Morton JP, Neuhouser ML, Nicklas TA, Ojiambo RM, Pietiläinen KH, Pitsiladis YP, Plange-Rhule J, Plasqui G, Prentice RL, Rabinovich RA, Racette SB, Raichlen DA, Ravussin E, Reynolds RM, Roberts SB, Schuit AJ, Sjödin AM, Stice E, Urlacher SS, Valenti G, Van Etten LM, Van Mil EA, Wells JCK, Wilson G, Wood BM, Yanovski J, Yoshida T, Zhang X, Murphy-Alford AJ, Loechl CU, Luke AH, Pontzer H, Rood J, Schoeller DA, Wong WW, Speakman JR; International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water database group. Westerterp KR, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Nov 8;114(5):1583-1589. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab260. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021. PMID: 34477824 Free PMC article.
  • Can increasing physical activity prevent aging-related loss of skeletal muscle?
    Heymsfield SB, Fearnbach N. Heymsfield SB, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Nov 8;114(5):1579-1580. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab283. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021. PMID: 34476475 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Validity of the dietary reference intakes for determining energy requirements in older adults.
    Ndahimana D, Go NY, Ishikawa-Takata K, Park J, Kim EK. Ndahimana D, et al. Nutr Res Pract. 2019 Jun;13(3):256-262. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2019.13.3.256. Epub 2019 May 31. Nutr Res Pract. 2019. PMID: 31214294 Free PMC article.
See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Gallagher D, Ruts E, Visser M, et al. Weight stability masks sarcopenia in elderly men and women. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2000;279:E366–75 - PubMed
    1. Newman AB, Lee JS, Visser M, et al. Weight change and the conservation of lean mass in old age: the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;82:872–8 - PubMed
    1. Fantin F, Francesco VD, Fontana G, et al. Longitudinal body composition changes in old men and women: interrelationships with worsening disability. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2007;62:1375–81 - PubMed
    1. Dziura J, Mendes de Leon C, Kasl S, DiPietro L. Can physical activity attenuate aging-related weight loss in older people? The Yale Health and Aging Study, 1982-1994. Am J Epidemiol 2004;159:759–67 - PubMed
    1. Hughes VA, Frontera WR, Roubenoff R, Evans WJ, Singh MA. Longitudinal changes in body composition in older men and women: role of body weight change and physical activity. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:473–81 - PubMed

Publication types