Exploring the Effect of Food Intake and Physical Activity on Body Weight

Abstract

Body weight is an important measurement parameter towards management of obesity, diabetes and overall health. Previous research and society at large has primarily focused on long-term fluctuation in body weight to describe and quantify weight gain or loss. Meanwhile, little emphasis has been placed on the potential benefit of monitoring short-term body weight changes. Activities of daily living including food intake, excretion, and physical activities have a direct and measurable impact on short-term body weight in a day. Therefore, understanding the effect of these activities can provide insight towards development of a wearable system capable of detecting and quantifying daily intake, excretion and physical activities. In this study, body weight, intake, and physical activities were monitored intermittently for 7 - 8 hours on two separate days (sedentary and high activity). Results show that dietary intake always resulted in a positive change in body weight (mean error between measured body weight and amount of intake was ±0.24kg). Meanwhile, high intensity physical activities (i.e. cardio) and excretion resulted in a negative change in body weight.