The Importance Of Metabolism

Metabolism is defined as any biochemical process required by the body for its maintenance, including growth, reproduction and damage repair. It involves chemical processes by which a human body converts food and water consumed into energy for immediate use or to be stored for later (Annie 2014). Diet and exercise play a vital role in increasing or decreasing the metabolic rate of a person. An individual’s BMR (Basal metabolic rate) is the minimum calorie requirement that is essential for a person to sustain life while resting. BMR is determined by a combination of factors including diet and exercise and it plays an important role in determining an individual’s metabolic rate.

Diet is associated with variable degrees of calorie constraint. Dieting (energy restriction) decreases an individual’s overall metabolic rate. Research shows that, starvation or sudden calorie-reduction may reduce an individual’s BMR radically by up to 30%. Even a low-calorie diet can decrease a person BMR to about 20% (Coleman 2015). Energy from calories comes from three main nutrients: Carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Both carbohydrates and proteins consist of four calories per gram Fat in contrast, is a more energy packed nutrient containing 9 calories per gram (Coleman 2015). These three nutrients supply 90% of the dry weight and 100% of its energy

While, a diet may slow down the metabolic process because not enough nutrients are converted to energy. Exercise helps boost metabolism by burning calories and fats providing the body with energy. Understanding the interactions of both diet and exercise are key factors in weight management and overall metabolism. A healthy and balanced diet consisting of all the different nutrients in appropriate amounts and daily exercise provides the body with good amount of energy and stabilizes metabolic rate for the body to maintain, grow, and