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Effects of a 4-month active weight loss phase followed by weight loss maintenance on adaptive thermogenesis in resting energy expenditure in former elite athletes

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Abstract

Purpose

Despite adaptive thermogenesis (AT) being studied as a barrier to weight loss (WL), few studies assessed AT in the resting energy expenditure (REE) compartment after WL maintenance. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to understand if AT occurs after a moderate WL and if AT persists after a period of WL maintenance; and (2) if AT is associated with changes in body composition, hormones and energy intake (EI).

Methods

Ninety-four participants [mean (SD); BMI, 31.1(4.3)kg/m2; 43.0(9.4)y; 34% female] were randomized to intervention (IG, n = 49) or control groups (CG, n = 45). Subjects underwent a 1-year lifestyle intervention, divided in 4 months of an active WL followed by 8 months of WL maintenance. Fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and REE by indirect calorimetry. Predicted REE (pREE) was estimated through a model using FM, FFM. EI was measured by the “intake-balance” method.

Results

For the IG, the weight and FM losses were − 4.8 (4.9) and − 11.3 (10.8)%, respectively (p < 0.001). A time–group interaction was found between groups for AT. After WL, the IG showed an AT of -85(29) kcal.d−1 (p < 0.001), and remained significant after 1 year [AT = − 72(31)kcal.d−1, p = 0.031]. Participants with higher degrees of restriction were those with an increased energy conservation (R = − 0.325, p = 0.036 and R = − 0.308, p = 0.047, respectively). No associations were found between diet adherence and AT. Following a sub-analysis in the IG, the group with a higher energy conservation showed a lower WL and fat loss and a higher initial EI.

Conclusion

AT in REE occurred after a moderate WL and remained significant after WL maintenance. More studies are needed to better clarify the mechanisms underlying the large variability observed in AT and providing an accurate methodological approach to avoid overstatements. Future studies on AT should consider not only changes in FM and FFM but also the FFM composition.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to all the participants involved in this study.

Funding

The Champ4life program was financially supported by the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth and by the International Olympic Committee, under the Olympic Solidarity Promotion of the Olympic Values Unit (Sports Medicine and Protection of Clean Athletes Programme). The program was also supported by national funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the R&D units UIDB/00447/2020. C.L.N., R.F. and F.J. were supported with a PhD scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BD/143725/2019 and 2020.05397.BD and 2021.07122.BD, respectively).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade Motricidade Humana, Universidade Lisboa, Estrada da Costa, 1499-002, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal

    Catarina L. Nunes, Filipe Jesus, Ruben Francisco, Luís B. Sardinha, Cláudia S. Minderico & Analiza M. Silva

  2. School of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Mark Hopkins

  3. Laboratory of Sport Psychology, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana da Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal

    Paulo Martins

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  1. Catarina L. Nunes
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Contributions

CLN: participated in the conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, data curation and writing the first draft; FJ, RF: contributed to preparation, visualization and reviewing and editing. MH, LBS, PM and CSM: supervised and contributed to reviewing and editing, Supervision; AMS: participated in the conceptualization, methodology, supervision, funding acquisition, reviewing and editing. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Analiza M. Silva.

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Nunes, C.L., Jesus, F., Francisco, R. et al. Effects of a 4-month active weight loss phase followed by weight loss maintenance on adaptive thermogenesis in resting energy expenditure in former elite athletes. Eur J Nutr 61, 4121–4133 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-02951-7

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