Evidence strongly supports the phenomenon of adaptive thermogenesis, wherein resting energy expenditure and metabolic rate decrease during periods of dieting or caloric restriction beyond what is expected by changes in body composition alone.
Evidence for · 7
Adaptive thermogenesis with weight loss in humans
2013 · cited by 156
Discusses adaptive thermogenesis with weight loss, noting an underfeeding-associated fall in resting energy expenditure.
Evidence against · 1
Resting energetic adaptations over the course of a 10-month multidisciplinary weight loss intervention in adolescents with obesity: The POWELL-2 project.
2026 · cited by 0
Found that resting energy expenditure remained stable throughout a 10-month weight loss intervention in adolescents with obesity.
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More for · 6
Short-Term Severe Low Energy Availability in Athletes: Molecular Mechanisms, Endocrine Responses, and Performance Outcomes-A Narrative Review.
2025 · cited by 7
Highlights that short-term severe low energy availability triggers energy-conserving responses, including a reduction in resting metabolic rate.
Adaptive thermogenesis driving catch-up fat during weight regain: a role for skeletal muscle hypothyroidism and a risk for sarcopenic obesity.
2025 · cited by 3
Examines metabolic adaptation and adaptive thermogenesis in response to large weight deficits.
Metabolic and appetitive regulation of adipocyte mass during treatment of obesity.
2026 · cited by 1
Explains that low-calorie dieting prompts adaptive responses in metabolism that resist further loss.
Metabolic Adaptation and Weight Regain in Obesity Treatment: The Central Role of Nutrition in the Era of Bariatric Surgery and GLP-1-Based Pharmacotherapy.
2026 · cited by 0
Notes that long-term maintenance is frequently compromised by reductions in total daily energy expenditure that exceed predictions.
Improving incretin-mediated body weight loss via energy expenditure.
2026 · cited by 0
Points out that a compensatory drop in basal metabolic rate represents a barrier to sustainable weight loss.
Restoring Satiety After GLP-1/GIP Pharmacotherapy: Metabolic Stability, Diet Quality, and the Gut Microbiota.
2026 · cited by 0
States that weight regain is driven in part by persistent metabolic adaptations, including a reduction in resting energy expenditure.