The Thermic Effect of Food: A Review.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of literature without systematic search or meta-analytic methods.
PubMed 31021710 · doi:10.1080/07315724.2018.1552544
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature on the thermic effect of food (TEF)—postprandial increases in metabolic rate—evaluating its measurement, physiological determinants, and modulation by meal size, macronutrient composition, diet patterns, age, and physical activity.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, effect sizes, or statistical metrics. Qualitatively, it states that TEF is increased by larger meal size (relative to frequent small meals), carbohydrate and protein intake (relative to dietary fat), and low-fat plant-based diets. Age and physical activity are noted to play roles, whereas effects of habitual diet and meal timing remain unclarified.
Why it matters
Clarifying how meal composition, size, and lifestyle factors alter postprandial energy expenditure may help refine dietary approaches to energy balance and weight management.
Limits
As a narrative review, no systematic search strategy, inclusion criteria, risk of bias assessment, or quantitative pooling are reported. The abstract provides no data on the number or design of reviewed studies, sample sizes, or absolute magnitudes of TEF modulation.
Cited by
- supports The digestive process consumes approximately 10% to 15% of a human's daily energy expenditure.