Can You Explain The Basal Metabolism?

Even when at rest, the body needs energy to carry on the vital processes of life, such as breathing, digestion etc. Therefore, basal metabolism is the amount of energy required to perform basic body function.  The daily energy need of a person depends on the basal metabolism plus the physical activity.

There are several factors that affect the basal metabolic rate.

Climate: A person living in a cold region has a higher basal metabolic rate than the one living at the tropics. This is because in cold weather, the body tends to lose more heat to the surroundings. It also requires more energy to maintain the body temperature.

Body Size: People of the same age and sex, but larger body size have a higher basal metabolism than their counterparts with smaller builds.

Age: Energy is required for the process of growth. Therefore, children have a higher basal metabolic rate than older people. In adults, the basal metabolic rate gradually decreases throughout life.

Sex: Men have a higher basal metabolism than women of the same age and body size as they tend to lose more heat.

Health: The metabolic rate of the body is controlled by the hormone thyroxine, produced by the thyroid gland of the body. An over-active thyroid gland would produce insufficient thyroxine. This would result in a lower metabolic rate. An over-active thyroid produces excessive thyroxine, thus raising the metabolic rate