Caloric deficit

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A caloric deficit is any shortage in the amount of calories consumed relative to the amount of calories required for maintenance of current body weight (energy homeostasis).

A deficit can be created by reducing input/calories consumed (lower food intake, aka dieting).[1] A deficit can also be created by increasing output without a corresponding increase in input. Increased output is created by increasing physical activity,[2] from increased caloric requirements necessary to heal an injury,[citation needed] or from growth.[3] There are also some substances, including Caffeine, which can create a small (3-5%)[4] increase in caloric expenditure, via a variety of pathways that include increasing physical activity levels and increasing Thermogenesis (heat output), and/or by reducing caloric input via appetite suppression.[5][6] Drugs and herbal treatments creating a more extreme metabolic effect exist; however, they cause extreme increases of heart rate and thermogenesis that can cause death in even very healthy and athletic individuals, and these drugs are not widely sold.[6][7]

As the calories required for energy homeostasis decreases as the organisms's mass decreases, if a moderate deficit is maintained eventually a new (lower) weight will be reached and maintained, and the organism will no longer be at caloric deficit.[2] A permanent severe deficit, on the other hand, which contains too few calories to maintain a healthy weight level, will eventually result in starvation and death.[citation needed]

To reduce 1 kg of weight, about 7000 kcal deficit is required.[8]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Counting calories: Get back to weight-loss basics". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. 2.0 2.1
  3. "CALORIC NEEDS". www.utmb.edu. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  4. 6.0 6.1 "Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss — Health Professional Fact Sheet". ods.od.nih.gov. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
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