Energy expenditure, physical activity, and obesity in children

The average healthy child can regulate energy intake to match energy needs for expenditure plus growth. Obesity is one of the most common states of en ergy imbalance, resulting from a loss in this regulatory ability. Despite p opular belief, there is only one weak piece of evidence to support the noti on that obesity is due either to an excess energy intake or reduction in en ergy expenditure or physical activity. In this article, the influence of en ergy expenditure and physical activity on the etiology of obesity in childr en will be reviewed.