Sex Differences in Measures of Energy Expenditure and Body Composition in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
24752991
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105027254526
Journal Title
Current Developments in Nutrition
Volume
10
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Current Developments in Nutrition Vol.10 No.1 (2026)
Suggested Citation
Cabre H.E., Marlatt K.L., Fernández-Verdejo R., Beyl R., Redman L.M., Ainslie P.N., Alemán-Mateo H., Andersen L.F., Anderson L.J., Arab L., Bedu-Addo K., Bonomi A.G., Bouten C.V., Bovet P., Brage S., Buchowski M.S., Butte N.F., Camps S.G., Casper R., Close G.L., Colbert L.H., Cooper J.A., Cooper R., Das S.K., Deb S., Forrester T., Gillingham M., Goris A.H., Gurven M., Hambly C., Hu S., Joosen A.M., Katzmarzyk P., Kempen K.P., Kimura M., Kraus W.E., Kriengsinyos W., Kushner R.F., Lessan N., Löf M., Martin C.K., Matsiko E., Medin A.C., Morehen J.C., Morton J.P., Neuhouser M.L., Prentice R.L., Racette S.B., Raichlen D.A., Reynolds R.M., Roberts S.B., Sardinha L.B., Schuit A.J., Silva A.M., Urlacher S.S., Valencia M.E., Van Etten L.M., Verbunt J.A., Wilson G., Wood B.M., Yoshida T., Zhang X., Murphy-Alford A.J., Loechl C.U., Luke A.H., Pontzer H., Rood J., Sagayama H., Schoeller D.A., Westerterp K.R., Wong W.W., Yamada Y., Speakman J.R., Ravussin E. Sex Differences in Measures of Energy Expenditure and Body Composition in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults. Current Developments in Nutrition Vol.10 No.1 (2026). doi:10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107614 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/114333
Title
Sex Differences in Measures of Energy Expenditure and Body Composition in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults
Author(s)
Cabre H.E.
Marlatt K.L.
Fernández-Verdejo R.
Beyl R.
Redman L.M.
Ainslie P.N.
Alemán-Mateo H.
Andersen L.F.
Anderson L.J.
Arab L.
Bedu-Addo K.
Bonomi A.G.
Bouten C.V.
Bovet P.
Brage S.
Buchowski M.S.
Butte N.F.
Camps S.G.
Casper R.
Close G.L.
Colbert L.H.
Cooper J.A.
Cooper R.
Das S.K.
Deb S.
Forrester T.
Gillingham M.
Goris A.H.
Gurven M.
Hambly C.
Hu S.
Joosen A.M.
Katzmarzyk P.
Kempen K.P.
Kimura M.
Kraus W.E.
Kriengsinyos W.
Kushner R.F.
Lessan N.
Löf M.
Martin C.K.
Matsiko E.
Medin A.C.
Morehen J.C.
Morton J.P.
Neuhouser M.L.
Prentice R.L.
Racette S.B.
Raichlen D.A.
Reynolds R.M.
Roberts S.B.
Sardinha L.B.
Schuit A.J.
Silva A.M.
Urlacher S.S.
Valencia M.E.
Van Etten L.M.
Verbunt J.A.
Wilson G.
Wood B.M.
Yoshida T.
Zhang X.
Murphy-Alford A.J.
Loechl C.U.
Luke A.H.
Pontzer H.
Rood J.
Sagayama H.
Schoeller D.A.
Westerterp K.R.
Wong W.W.
Yamada Y.
Speakman J.R.
Ravussin E.
Marlatt K.L.
Fernández-Verdejo R.
Beyl R.
Redman L.M.
Ainslie P.N.
Alemán-Mateo H.
Andersen L.F.
Anderson L.J.
Arab L.
Bedu-Addo K.
Bonomi A.G.
Bouten C.V.
Bovet P.
Brage S.
Buchowski M.S.
Butte N.F.
Camps S.G.
Casper R.
Close G.L.
Colbert L.H.
Cooper J.A.
Cooper R.
Das S.K.
Deb S.
Forrester T.
Gillingham M.
Goris A.H.
Gurven M.
Hambly C.
Hu S.
Joosen A.M.
Katzmarzyk P.
Kempen K.P.
Kimura M.
Kraus W.E.
Kriengsinyos W.
Kushner R.F.
Lessan N.
Löf M.
Martin C.K.
Matsiko E.
Medin A.C.
Morehen J.C.
Morton J.P.
Neuhouser M.L.
Prentice R.L.
Racette S.B.
Raichlen D.A.
Reynolds R.M.
Roberts S.B.
Sardinha L.B.
Schuit A.J.
Silva A.M.
Urlacher S.S.
Valencia M.E.
Van Etten L.M.
Verbunt J.A.
Wilson G.
Wood B.M.
Yoshida T.
Zhang X.
Murphy-Alford A.J.
Loechl C.U.
Luke A.H.
Pontzer H.
Rood J.
Sagayama H.
Schoeller D.A.
Westerterp K.R.
Wong W.W.
Yamada Y.
Speakman J.R.
Ravussin E.
Author's Affiliation
Chinese Academy of Sciences
University of California, Los Angeles
Stanford University
Imperial College London
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Southern California
Karolinska Institutet
University of Birmingham
Duke University
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Universitetet i Oslo
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
University of California, Santa Barbara
Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
Wageningen University & Research
University of Tsukuba
Oregon Health & Science University
Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
Universiteit Maastricht
University of Aberdeen
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Duke University School of Medicine
Mahidol University
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Maastricht Universitair Medisch Centrum+
Liverpool John Moores University
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Loyola University Chicago
Baylor University
Philips Research
Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology
School of Public Health
The University of the West Indies
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology
University of Westminster
Stritch School of Medicine
National University Health System
Universitetet i Agder
Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus
Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionäre Anthropologie
University of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging
University of Rwanda
MRC Epidemiology Unit
USDA ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center
Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa
National Institute of Health and Nutrition
Centre Universitaire de Médecine Générale et Santé Publique, Lausanne
Kyoto University of Advanced Science
The Football Association, UK
Advisory Board Company
A.C.
University of California, Los Angeles
Stanford University
Imperial College London
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Southern California
Karolinska Institutet
University of Birmingham
Duke University
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Universitetet i Oslo
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
University of California, Santa Barbara
Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
Wageningen University & Research
University of Tsukuba
Oregon Health & Science University
Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
Universiteit Maastricht
University of Aberdeen
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Duke University School of Medicine
Mahidol University
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Maastricht Universitair Medisch Centrum+
Liverpool John Moores University
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Loyola University Chicago
Baylor University
Philips Research
Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology
School of Public Health
The University of the West Indies
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology
University of Westminster
Stritch School of Medicine
National University Health System
Universitetet i Agder
Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus
Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionäre Anthropologie
University of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging
University of Rwanda
MRC Epidemiology Unit
USDA ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center
Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa
National Institute of Health and Nutrition
Centre Universitaire de Médecine Générale et Santé Publique, Lausanne
Kyoto University of Advanced Science
The Football Association, UK
Advisory Board Company
A.C.
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is vital for energy balance and cardiometabolic health, yet its trajectory across the lifespan, particularly in females, remains poorly understood. Objectives: We sought to examine the effects of aging and sex on body composition and TDEE. Methods: In a cross-sectional analysis of data from research centers across 9 European Countries and the United States from the International Atomic Energy Agency database, TDEE and body composition measures of 2326 participants (1560W/766M; 50.7 ± 12 .6 y) were stratified across age groups: young (30–39 y; YOUNG), middle-aged (40–54 y; MID), and old (55–70 y; OLD). Doubly labeled water was used to estimate TDEE and fat-free mass (FFM). Fat mass (FM) was calculated as the difference between body mass and FFM, and %fat was ratio between FM and body mass as a percentage. Linear models were used for analysis. Results: Females demonstrated greater FM and lower FFM with each age group, compared with males (P < 0.001). In females, OLD had lower absolute TDEE than YOUNG (−217 kcal/d, P < 0.001) and MID (−208 kcal/d, P < 0.001). Male absolute TDEE was lowered across all age groups (OLD compared with YOUNG: −334 kcal/d; OLD compared with MID: −210 kcal/d; MID compared with YOUNG: −124 kcal/d; P < 0.001). Adjusted TDEE was similar within age groups between females and males. Conclusions: These results suggest that age influences changes in body composition and energy expenditure similarly between males and females. The most significant change in TDEE occurs as individuals transition from middle age to older adulthood. Females generally have a higher percentage of %fat and FM, along with lower FFM, compared with males across all age groups. These findings are important for understanding how aging affects metabolism and body composition, which could inform sex-specific health strategies and interventions.