NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), a concept involving the burning of calories through daily activity outside of structured physical exercise, is being highlighted as a means to boost metabolic health.
What is NEAT: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis encompasses the low-effort movements we perform throughout our day such as household chores, walking, or fidgeting at a desk.
* NEAT accounts for the 30% to 40% of our daily energy expenditure not used for basic bodily functions or digestion.
* Research has found that NEAT usually contributes more to calorie burning than structured physical exercise.
The Impact of NEAT: Studies have shown that small behavioral changes can significantly increase or decrease the amount of NEAT one engages in, with consequent effects on health.
* The drive to engage in NEAT appears to vary between individuals based on factors like job type, habitat, and the body’s natural tendency to move.
* The increase of screen-based living is believed to have reduced many people’s NEAT levels.
The Benefit of NEAT: While NEAT is not a replacement for structured exercise, it is more accessible for people, especially those who do not exercise regularly.
* It has been established that being sedentary has numerous health problems independent of obesity. Increasing NEAT can help manage these risks.
* People who engage in more NEAT are less likely to die, found an epidemiological study at the University of Florida.
Increasing NEAT: One can boost NEAT by adopting a more active lifestyle, such as using standing desks, moving during meetings, performing household chores, or walking during TV commercials.
* Mundane tasks like vacuuming and gardening, or even video gaming while moving around, can burn several hundred calories in an hour.
* Activities like using stairs instead of elevators or walking during TV commercials can significantly increase NEAT levels.
Final Word: Boosting NEAT is recognized as ‘an untapped resource’ for better health and weight management. It primarily requires a shift in mindset and choosing slightly more effort over convenience.
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