Research
Energy balance
When adjusted for fat-free mass, basal metabolic rate and energy expenditure on thermogenesis plus activity are identical in lean and obese women.
Your basal metabolic rate is determined by your fat-free mass (muscle, organs, bone), not by your fat mass. Obese individuals have higher total BMR simply because they have more fat-free mass to support, not because their metabolism is inherently 'fast' or 'slow' per unit of tissue.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Basal metabolic rate and energy expenditure on thermogenesis plus activity were identical in the two groups when corrected for differences in fat free mass and total body mass.
Why this rating
Controlled for FFM using whole body calorimetry and isotopic methods.
Source
High levels of energy expenditure in obese women.
Ann Prentice et al. · BMJ · 1986
DOI 10.1136/bmj.292.6526.983
cohort · n=22Cited 583×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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