Research
Energy balance
The algebraic definition of Energy Availability (EA) has evolved to improve accuracy, with the current standard calculating EA relative to Lean Body Mass (LBM) rather than Total Body Mass (BM), subtracting non-exercise energy expenditure from gross exercise expenditure.
Use the current EA formula: (Energy Intake - Exercise Energy Expenditure) / Lean Body Mass. This is more accurate than using total body weight or gross exercise expenditure.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
In the third and most current definition, it is recognised that the value of gross exercise energy expenditure used in the previous definitions includes contribution of resting metabolic rate and non-exercise activity that should be subtracted to provide a net value of exercise energy expenditure... EA, expressed as energy intake minus gross exercise energy expenditure, is reported relative to lean body mass.
Why this rating
Describes the consensus evolution of the definition.
Source
Low energy availability: history, definition and evidence of its endocrine, metabolic and physiological effects in prospective studies in females and males
José L. Areta et al. · European Journal of Applied Physiology · 2020
DOI 10.1007/s00421-020-04516-0
narrative_reviewCited 183×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Low energy availability (LEA), defined as ≤30 kcal/kg LBM/day, acts as a potent disruptor of the endocrine milieu, triggering acute hormonal, metabolic, and physiological dysregulations in both females and males.Good
- Short-term manipulation of energy availability (≤5 days) triggers acute endocrine and metabolic dysregulations, but the long-term physiological effects of chronic LEA remain causally unproven due to a lack of long-duration prospective studies.Moderate
Related findings · Energy balance
- Achieving a total body weight loss of 10-15% (or >10-15 kg) through Total Diet Replacement (TDR) induces remission of Type 2 Diabetes in individuals with short-duration disease.Strong
- Bariatric surgery is superior to medical management alone for inducing significant long-term weight loss, remission of type 2 diabetes, and reduction in mortality for patients with BMI ≥ 40 or ≥ 35 with comorbidities.Strong
- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →