The impact of physical activity and cold exposure on food intake and energy expenditure in man

The interrelationships of physical activity, food intake and extremes of environmental temperature are important considerations influencing nutritional intake and physical performance in wilderness activities. This brief review familiarizes the reader with the components responsible for regulating food intake and energy expenditure, addresses work that has examined the regulatory role of exercise on the caloric content of food intake, considers the influence of regular participation in physical activity on two components of energy expenditure (resting metabolic rate and energy expenditure during submaximal exercise), and discusses the effects of acute and chronic exposure to cold temperature on food intake and energy expenditure. The adaptive changes in food intake and energy expenditure in response to environmental challenges are relevant considerations for wilderness activities.