Energy Metabolism

Overview

The prevalence of obesity in the United States is is at epidemic levels and 65 percent of American adults are overweight or obese. The Energy Metabolism Laboratory explores the biology of weight regulation to understand the contributions of the genetic and specific environmental factors to energy regulation, and is developing next-generation approaches to both prevention of weight gain and weight loss. Both factors influencing energy intake and eating behavior are studied, and hormonal and neurological investigations are conducted to identify the underlying metabolic factors in success versus challenging weight control.

Capabilities

The Energy Metabolism Laboratory (EML) has separate rooms for calorimetric measurements of energy expenditure, body composition analyzes, and blood and urine specimen processing, as well as data storage areas. The EML has four indirect calorimeter systems; three Deltatrac metabolic monitors for measurements of resting energy expenditure, and one VMax 229LV metabolic cart for measurements of maximal oxygen consumption, energy expenditure during exercise, and residual lung volume, which is used in conjunction with a motorized treadmill and EKG Stress Test Monitor.

Learn More

For more information about the Energy Metabolism Laboratory, please visit the USDA, Agricultural Research Service.

Tipping the Scales
Restaurant foods and frozen meals contain more calories than they claim, study finds.

Ask The Professor: Why does caffeine give you energy?

Sacrificing Food In The Name Of Nutrition
It takes dedicated researchers and disciplined volunteers to fuel nutrition studies, which lead to important discoveries about food and health.

Roberts' New Book Profiled In Chronicle Of Higher Education
Tufts Nutritionist's Research Makes Waves Across The Country

Sacrificing Food In The Name Of Nutrition
It takes dedicated researchers and disciplined volunteers to fuel nutrition studies, which lead to important discoveries about food and health.

Formula for Disaster
British researchers are working on a baby formula that would make infants resistant to obesity later in life. Tufts nutrition expert Susan Roberts is skeptical.