Energy Balance and Body Weight Regulation

Vocabulary flashcards covering energy balance, weight regulation, metabolic rates, assessment methods, and eating disorders based on the lecture notes.

Energy balance

A state where energy intake equals energy expenditure, leading to a stable body weight.

Positive energy balance

Occupies when energy intake is greater than energy expenditure, resulting in weight gain stored primarily as triglycerides in adipose tissue.

Negative energy balance

Occurs when energy intake is less than energy expenditure, resulting in weight loss.

Adipokines

Hormones or hormone-like substances produced by adipose tissue, which acts as an endocrine organ.

Hypertrophic growth

A process where adipose cell size increases.

Hyperplastic growth

A process involving the formation of new adipocytes.

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT)

Adipose tissue that surrounds internal organs, often associated with an apple-shaped body fat distribution.

Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT)

Adipose tissue located underneath the skin, specifically in the thighs, hips, and buttocks.

Central adiposity

Indicated by a waist circumference of $40$ inches or more in males and $35$ inches or more in females.

Atherosclerosis

The buildup of plaque in arteries, often associated with obesity, hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes.

Hunger

The physiological drive to consume food.

Satiety

The physiological response to having eaten enough.

Hypothalamus

The regulating center in the brain for neural connections related to hunger and satiety.

Catabolic neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers in the brain that promote satiety.

Anabolic neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers in the brain that promote hunger.

Cholecystokinin (CCK)

A gastrointestinal hormone released by the small intestine that inhibits food intake and promotes short-term satiety.

Ghrelin

A hormone produced by the stomach that stimulates food intake.

Gastric banding

A weight-loss surgery where an adjustable band is wrapped around the upper stomach to create a small pouch that fills quickly.

Gastric bypass surgery

A procedure that reduces stomach size and bypasses a segment of the small intestine to decrease nutrient digestion and absorption.

Appetite

A psychological longing or desire for food, influenced by sensory factors and emotional state.

Total energy expenditure (TEE)

The sum of energy used for basal metabolism ($50-70\%$), physical activity ($15-30\%$), and the thermic effect of food ($10\%$).

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

The energy expenditure required to sustain basic, involuntary life functions, expressed in $kcal/hour$.

Thermic effect of food (TEF)

The energy required to process food, accounting for approximately $10\%$ of total energy expenditure.

Direct calorimetry

A method of assessing total energy expenditure by measuring heat loss from the body.

Indirect calorimetry

A method of estimating energy expenditure by measuring respiratory gas exchange.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A weight-to-height ratio calculated as $\frac{[weight(kg)]}{[height(m)]^2}$, used to assess weight-related health risks.

Anorexia Nervosa (AN)

An eating disorder characterized by a BMI less than $18.5$, thin appearance, and a persistent pursuit of thinness.

Bulimia Nervosa (BN)

An eating disorder characterized by alternating cycles of bingeing and purging through methods like self-induced vomiting or laxative abuse.

Set point theory

The theory that the body maintains its weight setting by balancing energy intake, regulating metabolic rate, and eating behavior.

Leptin

A hormone that communicates the body's energy reserves to the brain; defects in its signaling can lead to obesity.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)

The gold standard method for assessing body composition, differentiating between fat mass, lean mass, and skeletal mass.

Female athlete triad

A medical syndrome consisting of disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction (amenorrhea), and osteopenia.

Muscle dysmorphia

A condition, primarily in men, characterized by an obsession with achieving a perfect body shape and excessive exercise.