BIOLOGY

Measuring Energy Balance

Measuring Energy Balance

Reasons for Measuring Energy Expenditure and Energy Balance

If one looks at their definition, it can be seen that when one talks in the context of the modern science, measuring the energy expenditure and having an idea about the energy balance is the most important thing that is needed to be known by a person. It is to be teen that there are many rationales and reasons for measuring both these things. In biological sciences, the energy balance is defined as something that is termed as the biological homeostasis of the energy that is living in our system (Marzo & Matias, 2005, p.589). There one of the basic and more fundamental ways of measuring the energy balance is done by the following equation:

Energy Intake = Internal Heat Produced + External Work + Energy Stored.

When one looks at this equation, it can be seen that energy intake or the amount of energy that is consumed by a person within a given day is given by the amount of internal heat that is produced inside the body and adding it to the external work that is being done by a person. The amount of energy that is already stored in one' system is also needed to be taken into the account (Alper & Mattes, 2002, p.1137). Talking about how things happen in USA, in USA the common method of measuring it that there are some units that are being used to measure the amount of heat that is produced by the body.

The unit that is commonly used in this regard is Calorie. The Calorie is the amount of energy that is needed to be produced that can increase the temperature of 1 kg water by 1o c. The amount of heat that is needed to increase the temperature of the water by one degree Celsius is said to be around 4.184 KJ. As far as the measure method is concerned, it is the energy expenditure that is mostly a sum of the internal heat that is produced within the system and what is the amount of external work that is done by an individual (Jéquier, 2002, p.388).

Difference between BMR and RMR

The basal metabolic rate and the resting metabolic rate are the terms that are being used around a lot when one talks about the modem biological literature. There is some difference between these two terms and its needed to be looked. These are the rate that are there for making an estimate about the amount of calories a person is about to burn if that person is resting for the whole days. These are the minimum energy intakes that a person needs to ensure that his body is working in a normal manner (Badman & Flier, 2005, p.1914). By normal manner, it is meant that the heartbeat, the breathing and the functioning of lungs and other such bodily functions are working in a controlled manner. The body temperature within a certain limits is also an indication ...