Sea otters demonstrate that there is more to muscle than just movement – it can also bring the heat

New research finds that ‘leaky mitochondria’ help keep sea otters warm.

Randall Davis, Regents Professor, Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University • conversation
Dec. 2, 2021 • ~7 min

Americans are getting more calories from ultra-processed foods

"The high and increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods in the 21st century may be a key driver of the obesity epidemic," says Filippa Juul.

Rachel Harrison-NYU • futurity
Oct. 18, 2021 • ~6 min

DIY tracker counts burned calories better than a smartwatch

A system made with two inexpensive sensors is more accurate than smartwatches for tracking calories burned during activity. You can even make it yourself.

Taylor Kubota-Stanford • futurity
July 16, 2021 • ~9 min

Tour de France: How many calories will the winner burn?

Riders in the 2021 Tour de France will ride more than 2,100 miles (3,400 km) over the 21 flat and mountainous stages of the race. And they will burn an incredible amount of energy while doing so.

John Eric Goff, Professor of Physics, University of Lynchburg • conversation
June 24, 2021 • ~6 min

More activity doesn’t mean you burn more calories

In a new book, a metabolism researcher breaks down some myths behind burning calories and why it can be hard to lose weight even if you move more.

Robin Smith-Duke • futurity
March 31, 2021 • ~10 min

Whether slow or fast, here's how your metabolism influences how many calories you burn each day

There are some factors you can't change about your metabolism. But there are things you can do to influence how much energy your body uses over the course of the day.

Terezie Tolar-Peterson, Associate Professor of Food Science, Nutrition & Health Promotion, Mississippi State University • conversation
Dec. 28, 2020 • ~8 min

Why we're so bad at counting the calories we eat, drink or burn

People worried about gaining weight over the holidays may try to estimate how many calories are in the foods they put on their plates. But it's not as easy as it looks.

Peggy Liu, Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Ben L. Fryrear Faculty Fellow, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Dec. 10, 2020 • ~6 min

Can molecular ‘doormen’ pave way for new obesity treatments?

"The commander of this doorman makes it easier for nutrients to get in, but harder for lipids to get out."

Bill Hathaway-Yale • futurity
Jan. 10, 2020 • ~2 min

U.S. food supply has way too much processed stuff

Researchers looked at 230,156 food products sold in the US. More than 70% were ultra-processed.

Kristin Samuelson-Northwestern • futurity
July 25, 2019 • ~6 min

Calorie cuts can boost already healthy hearts

No matter your weight, cutting around 300 calories a day can boost already healthy levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, and more.

Samiha Khanna-Duke • futurity
July 12, 2019 • ~3 min

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