About this Resource
In its simplest form, the energy balance model of obesity (EBM) states that obesity is driven by energy intake exceeding energy expenditure. Over time, this excess energy is stored in fat cells, leading to weight gain. In line with the EBM, obesity prevention is often thought of as a simple case of eating less and moving more — where ‘calories in minus calories out‘ (CICO) creates a net negative energy balance.
Grounded in the Research
“The energy balance model of obesity posits that body weight is regulated by the brain in response to external signals from the food environment that are integrated with internal signals to control food intake below our conscious awareness. Increased prevalence of obesity has resulted from changes in the food environment leading to increased food intake and circulating fuels.”
Excerpt from: Hall, K. D., Farooqi, I. S., Friedman, J. M., Klein, S., Loos, R. J., Mangelsdorf, D. J., … & Tobias, D. K. (2022). The energy balance model of obesity: beyond calories in, calories out. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 115(5), 1243-1254.
References
[1] Hall, K. D., & Guo, J. (2017). Obesity energetics: body weight regulation and the effects of diet composition. Gastroenterology, 152(7), 1718-1727. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2017.01.052
[2] Hall, K. D., Farooqi, I. S., Friedman, J. M., Klein, S., Loos, R. J., Mangelsdorf, D. J., … & Tobias, D. K. (2022). The energy balance model of obesity: beyond calories in, calories out. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 115(5), 1243-1254. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac031
[3] Westerterp, K. R. (2004). Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutrition & Metabolism, 1(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-1-5
[4] Dhillon, J., Craig, B. A., Leidy, H. J., Amankwaah, A. F., Anguah, K. O. B., Jacobs, A., … & Tucker, R. M. (2016). The effects of increased protein intake on fullness: a meta-analysis and its limitations. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(6), 968-983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.01.003
[5] Ochner, C. N., Tsai, A. G., Kushner, R. F., & Wadden, T. A. (2015). Treating obesity seriously: when recommendations for lifestyle change confront biological adaptations. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 3(4), 232-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(15)00009-1