Effects of a 4-month active weight loss phase followed by weight loss maintenance on adaptive thermogenesis in resting energy expenditure in former elite athletes

Catarina L Nunes; Filipe Jesus; Ruben Francisco; Mark Hopkins; Luís B Sardinha; Paulo Martins; Cláudia S Minderico; Analiza M Silva

doi:10.1007/s00394-022-02951-7

Effects of a 4-month active weight loss phase followed by weight loss maintenance on adaptive thermogenesis in resting energy expenditure in former elite athletes

Eur J Nutr. 2022 Dec;61(8):4121-4133. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02951-7. Epub 2022 Jul 14.

Authors

Catarina L Nunes¹, Filipe Jesus¹, Ruben Francisco¹, Mark Hopkins², Luís B Sardinha¹, Paulo Martins³, Cláudia S Minderico¹, Analiza M Silva⁴

Affiliations

¹ Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade Motricidade Humana, Universidade Lisboa, Estrada da Costa, 1499-002, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal.
² School of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
³ Laboratory of Sport Psychology, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana da Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal.
⁴ Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade Motricidade Humana, Universidade Lisboa, Estrada da Costa, 1499-002, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal. analiza@fmh.ulisboa.pt.

PMID: 35833970
DOI: 10.1007/s00394-022-02951-7

Abstract

Purpose: Despite adaptive thermogenesis (AT) being studied as a barrier to weight loss (WL), few studies assessed AT in the resting energy expenditure (REE) compartment after WL maintenance. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to understand if AT occurs after a moderate WL and if AT persists after a period of WL maintenance; and (2) if AT is associated with changes in body composition, hormones and energy intake (EI).

Methods: Ninety-four participants [mean (SD); BMI, 31.1(4.3)kg/m²; 43.0(9.4)y; 34% female] were randomized to intervention (IG, n = 49) or control groups (CG, n = 45). Subjects underwent a 1-year lifestyle intervention, divided in 4 months of an active WL followed by 8 months of WL maintenance. Fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and REE by indirect calorimetry. Predicted REE (pREE) was estimated through a model using FM, FFM. EI was measured by the "intake-balance" method.

Results: For the IG, the weight and FM losses were - 4.8 (4.9) and - 11.3 (10.8)%, respectively (p < 0.001). A time-group interaction was found between groups for AT. After WL, the IG showed an AT of -85(29) kcal.d^-1 (p < 0.001), and remained significant after 1 year [AT = - 72(31)kcal.d^-1, p = 0.031]. Participants with higher degrees of restriction were those with an increased energy conservation (R = - 0.325, p = 0.036 and R = - 0.308, p = 0.047, respectively). No associations were found between diet adherence and AT. Following a sub-analysis in the IG, the group with a higher energy conservation showed a lower WL and fat loss and a higher initial EI.

Conclusion: AT in REE occurred after a moderate WL and remained significant after WL maintenance. More studies are needed to better clarify the mechanisms underlying the large variability observed in AT and providing an accurate methodological approach to avoid overstatements. Future studies on AT should consider not only changes in FM and FFM but also the FFM composition.

Keywords: Energy balance; Metabolic adaptation; Resting energy expenditure.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Athletes
Basal Metabolism
Body Composition
Energy Metabolism*
Female
Hormones
Humans
Male
Thermogenesis
Weight Loss*

Substances

Hormones

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding