Abstract
Background/Objectives
Seasonal variation in body mass is a model for the study of body mass regulation. Here a long-term study is presented on body mass, body composition, and activity-induced energy expenditure in a subject with a large seasonal variation in body mass of about 3.0 kg.
Subject/Methods
Body mass was assessed daily over >20 consecutive years. Daily assessment of activity-induced energy expenditure was performed over the last 10 years. Body composition was assessed monthly for 1 year in the middle and at the end of the observation interval. Additionally, data were compared with data on body composition, resting energy expenditure, and total daily energy expenditure of the same subject as a participant in published studies.
Results
Body mass showed a pronounced seasonal variation, associated with a synchronous variation in physical activity. Body mass peaked in the cold winter months when physical activity reached the lowest annual value and decreased to the lowest value in mid-summer when daily physical activity peaked. The seasonal variation in body mass consisted mainly of body fat. Longitudinally, over the past 8 years of the observation interval, average fat-free mass showed a decrease of 1.0 kg and fat mass increased 0.8 kg.
Conclusions
In a subject with a pronounced seasonal variation in physical activity, activity-induced variation in energy requirement was covered by an annual variation in body mass, mainly as fat. Maintenance of activity-induced energy expenditure did not protect against loss of fat-free body mass with advancing age.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mercer JG, Adam L, Morgan PJ. Towards an understanding of physiological body mass regulation: seasonal animal models. Nutr Neurosci. 2000;3:307–20.
Prentice AM, Whitehead RG, Roberts SB, Paul AA. Long-term energy balance in child-bearing Gambian women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1981;34:2790–9.
Schultink W, Van Raaij JMA. Seasonal variation in body weight, body mass index (BMI) and body composition of rural Beninese women. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 1995;4:89–94.
Mehrang S, Helander E, Chieh A, Korhonen I. Seasonal weight variation patterns in seven countries located in northern and southern hemispheres. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2016;2016: 2475–8.
Van Staveren WA, Deurenberg P, Burema J, De Groot LC, Hautvast JG. Seasonal variation in food intake, pattern of physical activity and change in body weight in a group of young adult Dutch women consuming self-selected diets. Int J Obes. 1986;10:133–45.
Ma Y, Olendzki BC, Li W, Hafner AR, Chiriboga D, Hebert JR, et al. Seasonal variation in food intake, physical activity, and body weight in a predominantly overweight population. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006;60:519–28.
Kashiwazaki H. Seasonal fluctuation of BMR in populations not exposed to limitations in food availability: reality or illusion? Eur J Clin Nutr. 1990;44:85–93.
Plasqui G, Kester ADM, Westerterp KR. Seasonal variation in sleeping metabolic rate, thyroid activity, and leptin. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2003;285:E338–43.
Haggarty P, McNeill G, Manneh MKA, Davidson L, Milne E, Duncan G, et al. The influence of exercise on the energy requirements of adult males in the UK. Br J Nutr. 1994;72:799–813.
Levin S, Jacobs DR, Ainsworth BE, Richardson MT, Leon AS. Intra-individual variation and estimates of usual physical activity. Ann Epidemiol. 1999;9:481–8.
Tudor-Locke C, Bassett DR, Swartz AM, Strath SJ, Parr BB, Reis JP, et al. A preliminary study of one year of pedometer self-monitoring. Ann Behav Med. 2004;28:158–62.
Hamilton SL, Clemes SA, Griffiths PL. UK adults exhibit higher step counts in summer compared to winter months. Ann Hum Biol. 2008;35:154–69.
Buchowski MS, Choi L, Majchrzak KM, Acra S, Matthews CE, Chen KY. Seasonal changes in amount and patterns of physical activity in women. J Phys Act Health. 2009;6:252–61.
Clemes SA, Hamilton SL, Griffiths PL. Summer to winter variability in the step counts of normal weight and overweight adults living in the UK. J Phys Act Health. 2011;8:36–44.
Wang G, Li B, Zhang X, Niu C, Li J, Li L, et al. No seasonal variation in physical activity of Han Chinese living in Beijing. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017;14:48.
Plasqui G, Westerterp KR. Seasonal variation in total energy expenditure and physical activity in Dutch young adults. Obes Res. 2004;12:688–94.
Zinkel SRJ, Moe M, Stern EA, Hubbard VS, Yanoski SZ, Yanovski JA, et al. Comparison of total energy expenditure between school and summer months. Pediatr Obes. 2013;8:404–10.
Westerterp KR. Seasonal variation in body weight: an experimental case study. J Therm Biol. 2001;26:525–7.
Westerterp KR, Brouns F, Saris WH, Ten Hoor F. Comparison of doubly labeled water with respirometry at low- and high-activity levels. J Appl Physiol. 1988;65:53–6.
Verboeket-van de Venne WP, Westerterp KR, Kester AD. Effect of the pattern of food intake on human energy metabolism. Br J Nutr. 1993;70:103–15.
Westerterp KR, Robach P, Wouters L, Richalet J-P. Water balance and acute mountain sickness before and after arrival at high altitude of 4,350 m. J Appl Physiol. 1996;80:1968–72.
Ainslie PN, Campbell IT, Frayn KN, Humphreys SM, MacLaren DP, Reilly T, et al. Energy balance, metabolism, hydration, and performance during strenuous hill walking: the effect of age. J Appl Physiol. 2002;93:714–23.
Valenti G, Bonomi AG, Westerterp KR. Multicomponent fitness training improves walking economy in older adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48:1365–70.
Westerterp KR, Wouters L, Van Marken Lichtenbelt WD. The Maastricht protocol for the measurement of body composition and energy expenditure with labeled water. Obes Res. 1995;3(Suppl 1):49–57.
Bonomi AG, Plasqui G, Goris AH, Westerterp KR. Estimation of free-living energy expenditure using a novel activity monitor designed to minimize obtrusiveness. Obesity. 2010;18:1845–51.
Westerterp KR. Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutr Metab. 2004;1:1–5.
FAO/WHO/UNU. Human energy requirements. Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation. FAO Food and Nutrition Technical Report Series no. 1. Rome: FAO/WHO/UNU; 2004.
Iannuzzi-Sucich M, Prestwood KM, Kenny AM. Prevalence of sarcopenia and predictors of skeletal muscle mass in healthy, older men and women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2002;57:M772–7.
Baumgartner RN, Waters DL, Gallagher D, Morley JE, Garry PJ. Predictors of skeletal muscle mass in elderly men and women. Mech Ageing Dev. 1999;107:123–36.
Speakman JR, Westerterp KR. Associations between energy demands, physical activity, and body composition in adult humans between 18 and 96 y of age. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:826–34.
Hall KD. What is the required energy deficit per unit weight loss? Int J Obes. 2008;32:573–6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The author declares that he has no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Westerterp, K.R. Seasonal variation in body mass, body composition and activity-induced energy expenditure: a long-term study. Eur J Clin Nutr 74, 135–140 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0408-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0408-y
This article is cited by
-
Lockdown induced change in energy balance
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2021)
-
Daily consumption of one teaspoon of trehalose can help maintain glucose homeostasis: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted in healthy volunteers
Nutrition Journal (2020)