New Delhi. There’s long been a belief that slim people engage in more physical activity or walk more, and therefore, they can eat whatever they want. However, a recent study has disproved this. Researchers found that slim people don’t exercise more than others, but rather eat less. Their weight remains low due to their reduced diet. This study involved 150 very thin people. Scientists concluded this conclusion through the study and proved it to be factually correct. What does this study say? Learn more about it.
What was found? The
study, conducted by the University of Aberdeen, looked at the diets and energy levels of 150 very thin people and compared them to 173 normal individuals. The two-week study found that thin people engaged in 23 percent less physical activity and spent more time sitting. Additionally, they ate 12 percent less food than normal people. However, they also had a faster resting metabolism, allowing them to burn more calories even when inactive.
Professor John Speakman, who led the research at the University of Aberdeen, said: “The results of this study are truly surprising. Often, when people talk to thin people, they say they can eat whatever they want. But our study shows that thin people are not due to more physical activity, but rather due to eating less. The amount they eat is much less than people in the normal body mass index (BMI) range.”
Thin people spent 96 percent of their time inactive or engaged in light physical activity. Compared to normal people, those with a BMI of more than 21.5 and less than 25 did not. Researchers found that thin people are more likely to be thin because they eat less. This means they consume fewer calories, which is why they are thinner.
The researchers suggest that the lean participants may have eaten an average of 12 percent less than those of normal weight. However, they burned calories even while sitting. This is due to their faster metabolism than normal individuals. In fact, their metabolism was 22 percent higher than expected based on their body fat levels. Higher metabolism was associated with higher levels of thyroid hormones, which make people feel less hungry and keep them slim.
Thin People Have Higher Metabolisms
Researchers are now trying to find out whether thin people naturally have higher metabolisms or whether their genes boost thyroid hormones, which prevents thin people from gaining weight. Current evidence suggests that about 1.7 percent of the population is underweight. Some of these people may have eating disorders or may be thin due to an underlying medical condition.
The recent study only looked at Chinese people. The results suggest that naturally thin people, based on their lower body weight and eating less, don’t exercise as much because the study participants had lower levels of bad cholesterol than people of normal weight.
“It was a big shock to me that super-lean individuals were much less active than those in the normal BMI range,” said study co-author Dr. Sumei Hu of the University of Aberdeen. “We used to think that lean individuals should be active to maintain their low body weight, but the results showed the opposite.”
How many calories should you consume each day?
The average adult woman should consume 2,000 calories a day, and men 2,500 calories a day. This also depends on the amount of energy needed to perform various bodily functions, move around, and work throughout the day. People who exercise a lot need to consume more calories. If you eat more calories than you burn in a day, you will gain weight. Eating fewer calories than you burn will cause you to lose weight. Processed foods and those high in carbohydrates, sugar, and salt contain more calories than fresh fruits and vegetables, so these foods should be avoided.