Describe basal metabolism. Then, compare and contrast the basal metabolic rate with the resting metabolic rate.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

People expend energy when they are physically active, of course, but they also expend energy when they are resting quietly. In fact, quiet metabolic activities account for the largest share of most people’s energy expenditures.
About two-thirds of the energy the average person expends in a day supports the body’s basal metabolism. Metabolic activities include the lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the bone marrow making new red blood cells, the heart beating 100,000 times a day, and the kidneys filtering wastes—in short, they support all the basic processes of life.
The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate at which the body expends energy for these life-sustaining activities. The rate may vary from person to person and may vary for the same individual with a change in circumstance or physical condition. The rate is slowest when a person is sleeping undisturbed, but it is usually measured in a room with a comfortable temperature when the person is awake, but lying still, after a restful sleep and an overnight (12 to 14 hour) fast. A similar measure of energy output—called the resting metabolic rate (RMR)—is slightly higher than the BMR because its criteria for recent food intake and physical activity are not as strict.