Overview

• Researchers used doubly labeled water to measure total, activity and basal energy expenditure in 4,213 adults across 34 populations on six continents.
• After adjusting for age, sex and body size, activity energy expenditure remained higher in developed nations, undermining inactivity as the chief obesity culprit.
• Total energy expenditure varied minimally across economies and explained only about 10 percent of the obesity gap between countries.
• Higher proportions of ultra-processed foods in participants’ diets were strongly linked to increased body fat percentages, highlighting diet quality over calorie burn.
• Study authors and public health experts are calling for obesity interventions to prioritize reducing processed food consumption and continue endorsing exercise for overall health.