As the title suggests, Movement AKA Non-Exercise Energy Thermogenesis AKA NEAT is a valuable tool to help you burn calories and avoid weight gain. And regular movement throughout the day makes a big difference. Heres 3 studies that demonstrate this, followed by a worked example of why it can make a difference….
1. Role of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Resistance to Fat Gain
NEAT = Non-Exercise Energy Thermogenesis (ie movement/expenditure of calories)
In a 1999 study: 16 non-obese volunteers were fed 1000 kcal/d in excess of weight-maintenance requirements for 8 weeks. Average weight gain was 4.7kg, but individual weight gain varied from 1.4kg to 7.2kg.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) varied greatly between participants.
2/3 of the increases in TDEE was due to increased NEAT, e.g. fidgeting, maintenance of posture, & other physical activities of daily life.
The study concluded that the variety in fat gain over the period suggested that as humans overeat, activation of NEAT dissipates excess energy to preserve leanness, & that failure to activate NEAT may result in ready fat gain.
The study showed that changes in NEAT accounted for the 10-fold differences in fat storage that occurred & directly predicted resistance to fat gain with overfeeding.
2. Effect of occupation on daily calories used
A 1996 study, Human Energy Expediture in Affluent Societies, showed the number of calories used per day in different occupations.
As you can see, the difference in calories used varies greatly between a day spent sitting and a day spent in strenuous manual work. Manyal work used a whopping 2000 extra calories a day!
(Note: the study assumed a Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) of 1600 cals/day).
3. Desk-based? There’s a difference between sitting & standing on calories used
A 2016 study looked at energy expenditure of deskwork when sitting, standing or alternating positions.
Obviously, many people need to be desk-based for work, but there may be the opportunity to use standing desks or to take phone calls standing up rather than seated.
Looking at the calories used per hour, the approximate 10% additional calories used may look negligible, but every bit adds up!
As you can see, alternating positions to achieve the study’s recommended 4h/day of standing could result in an additional 56.9 kcal/day for an 88.9kg man and 48.3 kcal/day for a 75.5kg woman.
4. An example of why NEAT matters
Here’s a visual example of how non-exercise activity can stack up to give you an increased daily calorie burn.
Advantages of using extra calories in this way is that it’s low impact, not time-consuming, and shouldn’t increase hunger.
Using the typically-quoted 3500 calories to make or burn one pound of fat, as you can see, the extra calories give you a buffer you wouldn’t already have, and that could really make the difference between podge or not!