If energy intake exceeds energy output over time, what happens to body weight?

If energy intake exceeds energy output over time, what happens to body weight?

• A. Decrease
• B. Increase
• C. Stay the same
• D. Fluctuate unpredictably

Answer: (B)

When energy intake exceeds energy expenditure over time, the extra calories don’t disappear; they’re stored in the body as fat. The body uses calories for all functions, including basic metabolism and activity. If more calories are consumed than used, the surplus is stored, mainly as adipose tissue, leading to an increase in body weight. Short-term fluctuations like water retention can occur, but the long-term trend with a consistent surplus is weight gain. So the result is an increase in body weight.

When energy intake exceeds energy expenditure over time, the extra calories don’t disappear; they’re stored in the body as fat. The body uses calories for all functions, including basic metabolism and activity. If more calories are consumed than used, the surplus is stored, mainly as adipose tissue, leading to an increase in body weight. Short-term fluctuations like water retention can occur, but the long-term trend with a consistent surplus is weight gain. So the result is an increase in body weight.