Energy intake, energy expenditure, and smoking in relation to body fatness: the Zutphen Study

In 1965 within the Zutphen Study information on several possible determinants of body fatness (eg, energy intake, energy expenditure, alcohol intake, coffee consumption, tea consumption, and smoking) was collected. Univariate analyses showed that for 525 men aged 45-64 y and free from cardiovascular diseases, indicators of body fatness were inversely related to the difference between energy intake and expenditure, physical activity per kilogram body weight, smoking, and coffee consumption. Alcohol intake was directly related to Quetelet index, and tea consumption was not related to indicators of body fatness. Inverse associations between indicators of body fatness and the difference between energy intake and expenditure, physical activity per kilogram body weight, and smoking were confirmed in multivariate analyses. The inverse association between body fatness and the difference between energy intake and expenditure may be due to the underestimation of energy intake by obese subjects. In lean people this association may be explained by a thermogenic effect of smoking.