The discussions reflect a strong engagement with the study's unexpected findings, such as the similar energy expenditure despite different activity levels, highlighted through phrases like 'challenging the idea' and detailed references. The tone shifts from curiosity to critical debate, demonstrating both interest and engagement, although the impact seems confined to academic and scientific communities rather than mainstream health perceptions.
AgreementModerate agreement
Most discussions agree that total energy expenditure is similar between hunter-gatherers and Western populations, with some referencing specific studies, like Pontzer's, to support this.
InterestHigh interest
Many comments show high interest, with users analyzing research findings, discussing implications, and referencing detailed data and studies.
EngagementModerate engagement
Users engage by debating mechanisms like metabolic adjustments and caloric intake, indicating a moderate level of deep discussion and interpretation.
ImpactModerate impact
While some emphasize the significance of these findings challenging common assumptions about activity and obesity, the overall influence on broader health beliefs appears moderate.
Abstract in brief
The study compares the daily energy expenditure of Hadza hunter-gatherers with Western populations using the doubly labeled water method, finding that despite higher physical activity levels among Hadza, their total energy expenditure is similar to that of Westerners when adjusted for body size.
The research shows that the metabolic costs of walking and resting are also comparable between Hadza and Western groups, challenging the idea that Western lifestyles inherently lead to lower energy expenditure.
The findings suggest that human daily energy expenditure may be an evolved trait that stays relatively consistent across cultures, implying that differences in obesity rates may not be simply due to variations in basic energy use but could involve other factors.
You refer to Westerners as "modern humans".. What does that make the Hadza? Also, seeing a handful of people walk for a few days is now enough to make prescriptive claims about fitness? Here's a better approach by @HermanPontzer https://t.co/IQUgnGWjA5
5/
https://t.co/unEiIe09Qj
Mar 26, 2022 · 128 likes · 4 shares · 28,387 followersView post →
RC
Rich Collins
@richcollins · X
3/3
2. Your TEE is mostly fixed and your body compensates for exercise by reducing your BMR.
https://t.co/8cruY5NyX1
@nicholaraihani @HermanPontzer For more details about the actual research -- which by the way is much more nuanced than "exercise has no effect on daily energy expenditure" -- here are links to two un-paywalled papers. https://t.co/X50cyODk7E
https://t.co/nOF6MQW8Ag
Jun 1, 2023 · 45 likes · 1 share · 1,223 followersView post →
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#i
@IgnaBroomr · X
Dec 7, 2024 · 38 likes · 4 shares · 9,847 followersView post →
EY
Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️
@ESYudkowsky · X
@karpathy Hey, Andrej, quick note to mention that (last time I checked) it was thought that aerobic exercise over 200cal starts causing other energy expenditures to drop, hence perhaps your lower-than-calculated weight loss. See eg https://t.co/JjsGin6pGW and https://t.co/Zy7HFShbGY.
Jun 12, 2020 · 23 likes · 212,917 followersView post →
This video discusses scientific research comparing energy expenditure in hunter-gatherers and Western populations, highlighting that physical activity does not significantly alter total daily energy expenditure, which…
Reflecting on how our relationship with movement has changed throughout history, from the advent of agriculture to the Industrial Revolution, highlighting impacts on health and metabolism.
@LukasHozda @fire_bottle Yeah I did a double take, I was like am I getting this name wrong? Haha.
I think this is it, I've only read secondary sources tho https://t.co/2bh41euqMT
@jcaetanoleite @macacolibertaro caça, mas sua dieta diversificada (tubérculos, mel, frutas, carne) atende às necessidades calóricas, conforme documentado em Pontzer no estudo "Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity" . Esse estudo demonstra que os Hadza têm um gasto energético elevado, mas mantêm uma dieta
@jcaetanoleite @macacolibertaro A pesquisa "Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity" (PMC) indica que os Hadza, por exemplo, têm uma dieta variada que inclui tubérculos, frutas, mel e carne.
@DrKevinDN @AlpacaAurelius Partly Wrong. This has be debunked. Human bodies adjust to energy expenditure.
Diet is certainly the cause - insulin hypothesis likely correct. also huge portions now with cheese on everything. Calorie per meal off the charts.
https://t.co/fJg6Bn4w8C
May 2, 2025 · 17 likes · 3 shares · 9,847 followersView post →
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Jonathan*
@Jonathan__WT · X
While Hadza hunter-gatherers are more physically active than Westerners, their daily energy expenditure and metabolic rates are similar after adjusting for body size. These results challenge the idea that Western lifestyles reduce energy expenditure.
https://t.co/VNejCxD6Cl
@JanuszZyto @shameIesstears intuicyjnie to bardzo dobrze wytłumaczenie, ale są badania wskazujące na to, że dodatkowy wysiłek w ciągu dnia może nie mieć aż takiego wpływu jak się wydaje - odsyłam do artykułu https://t.co/fAM4bOi37k
Sep 28, 2024 · 1 like · 1,616 followersView post →
MM
Madam Mitochondria
@Madam_Mito · X
@medstefanm https://t.co/i6av8A2XAp
The same concept can be applied to a disease process. The metabolic cost of walking (kcal kg−1 m−1) & resting (kcal kg−1 s−1 between vastly different *energy expenditure* groups remaining the same should show you why.
@di_sinusoida @itan_tennenbaum организм же на это не дополнительные калории берёт, а просто меньше тратит на всякие inflammations
https://t.co/2tJcBw95AM
"Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity," by Herman Pontzer et al., in PLOS ONE, Vol. 7, No. 7, Article No. E40503; July 25, 2012 (a); "Metabolic Acceleration and the Evolution of Human Brain Size and Life History," by Herman Pontzer et al., in Nature, Vol. 533; May 19 '16
@herschel0063574 @Mangan150 Even I was skeptical initially, but it’s what various studies show. One found that despite the hunter gatherers active lifestyle, which involved walking long distances daily, their total daily energy expenditure was similar to that of sedentary people. https://t.co/rXfmRkRnCP
@ReaperCapital @ramit Sedentary office workers don't burn more calories than people living traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles.
https://t.co/9FVxTrOfC6
@davisdilanchian That's an estimated ~15% from sugar over a substantially smaller caloric denominator than in the West (especially America). By contrast, Americans get ~41% of their calories from fat, which is about twice as energy-dense as pure sugar.
https://t.co/8j4DzFKSie https://t.co/KbOhdi3uhP
Apr 18, 2024 · 1 like · 13,885 followersView post →
JM
JK MD
@jksequoia · X
This study clearly invalidates the calorie out theory.
https://t.co/uBrzYpNBez
@Alan_Couzens lol again. Its because some science indicates subjectives views on “what I did as a kid in 70’s” aren’t terribly reliable
https://t.co/7hgkGwwCxM
@DzambhalaHODL This is a standard part of CICO mythology and my current understanding is that the evidence quite fails to bear it out. https://t.co/829jJ60WAW
Dec 30, 2023 · 2 likes · 212,917 followersView post →
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Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️
@ESYudkowsky · X
@the_yanco I know of no studies showing that this sort of thing makes a difference to daily total energy expenditure. Do you? https://t.co/829jJ60WAW
Dec 29, 2023 · 9 likes · 212,917 followersView post →
EY
Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️
@ESYudkowsky · X
@Heaney555 Similar https://t.co/829jJ60WAW
Dec 29, 2023 · 3 likes · 212,917 followersView post →
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redent
@redent123 · X
RT @FactLabyrinth: The exercise paradox states that hunter-gatherers, who walked many kilometres every day, burn the same number of calorie…
The exercise paradox states that hunter-gatherers, who walked many kilometres every day, burn the same number of calories as much less active, modern-day office workers.
(The study: https://t.co/m0Fum40ZG6) https://t.co/fSkb7Fxn4I
Dec 25, 2023 · 5 likes · 1 share · 163 followersView post →
MR
moussu romulien
@mousset_romain · X
RT @jksequoia: It is interesting to study a population of hunter-gatherer, the Hadza located in Tanzania. They consume at a mean with a gre…
It is interesting to study a population of hunter-gatherer, the Hadza located in Tanzania. They consume at a mean with a great fluctuation 2'600Kcal/day and there were lean 13% fat for men an 20 for women https://t.co/uBrzYpNBez
Nov 13, 2023 · 1 like · 1 share · 275 followersView post →
@ScepticalDoctor Just check this reference:
Pontzer H, Raichlen DA, Wood BM, Mabulla AZP, Racette SB, et al. (2012) Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40503.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040503
@p_oli_tics @TonyBlazevich @jburnmurdoch @RandomAcademic "As expected, physical activity level, PAL, was greater among Hadza foragers than among Westerners. Nonetheless, average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size."
https://t.co/UFkY9CFnDj
@jburnmurdoch "As expected, physical activity level, PAL, was greater among Hadza foragers than among Westerners. Nonetheless, average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size."
https://t.co/UFkY9CFnDj
@davidbelle_ @DoctorChrisVT @DaveStudland @MDC12345678 @georgeeaton @Waterstones "As expected, physical activity level, PAL, was greater among Hadza foragers than among Westerners. Nonetheless, average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size."
https://t.co/UFkY9CFnDj
@dob86 "As expected, physical activity level, PAL, was greater among Hadza foragers than among Westerners. Nonetheless, average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size."
https://t.co/UFkY9CFnDj
@DoctorChrisVT @DaveStudland @MDC12345678 @georgeeaton "As expected, physical activity level, PAL, was greater among Hadza foragers than among Westerners. Nonetheless, average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size."
https://t.co/UFkY9CFnDj
@DaveStudland @MDC12345678 @georgeeaton @DoctorChrisVT "As expected, physical activity level, PAL, was greater among Hadza foragers than among Westerners. Nonetheless, average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size."
https://t.co/UFkY9CFnDj
RT @richcollins: 3/3
2. Your TEE is mostly fixed and your body compensates for exercise by reducing your BMR.
https://t.co/8cruY5NyX1
Jun 8, 2023 · 4 shares · 2,029 followersView post →
SS
Stefan S
@lbrljacks · X
@mkasumovic @Uncoveringreal @nicholaraihani @HermanPontzer They used the TEE method to take daily measurements from Hadza adults. https://t.co/80ihoL9eEG
@boydmyers In case you're curious, Boyd,
I lifted the funding info from here:
https://t.co/a2dAd19frD
And get a load of the line below the funding part:
"Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist".
@nicholaraihani @HermanPontzer For more details about the actual research -- which by the way is much more nuanced than "exercise has no effect on daily energy expenditure" -- here are links to two un-paywalled papers. https://t.co/X50cyODk7E
https://t.co/nOF6MQW8Ag
Jun 1, 2023 · 45 likes · 1 share · 1,223 followersView post →
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mahlen
@mahlenr · X
RT @richcollins: 3/3
2. Your TEE is mostly fixed and your body compensates for exercise by reducing your BMR.
https://t.co/8cruY5NyX1
@LoreofRunning1 @Alan_Couzens @davescott6x Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity
Hadza males often cover 40km before midday,..., everyday.
Nonetheless, average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size
https://t.co/3rw9WZ5K4X
@SpeakingBee @jimmygandhi @bridgefuelsux @RichardHanania What we now know is that energy expenditure just isn't much impacted by PAL. It just remains more or less constant, regardless of how much physical activity is. Not just with hunter-gatherers, studies with ultra-marathoners showed the same stuff.
https://t.co/iVTiiHicWp https://t.co/FbiZPjfaeN
@Silent_Kindling @Immortale777 @grimsr3ap3r79 @AlpacaAurelius Sedentary westerners expend the same number of calories per kg lean mass https://t.co/8cruY5NyX1
@Hustlediva1 @newscientist @HermanPontzer @DukeU Most of the calories you burn aren't burned by activities but just by living (aka BMR), and your body has ways to cut caloric expense elsewhere when exercise is increased.
In general it's recommended to know what the science says before dismissing it.
https://t.co/S7v1iNOUTt
@Thehavokgamer1 @DrRevMikeZ @Hustlediva1 @newscientist @DukeU In case you’re interested in the evidence
https://t.co/pgnxVi3OIM
https://t.co/EI7TJ6LiG9
https://t.co/pEE19FqnSq
And of course
https://t.co/x5omjN4zV6
@alephh Westerners have similar TEE/lean body mass as hunter gatherers but we’re fatter: https://t.co/8cruY5vXyr
Potnzer attributes this to eating too much due to hyper palatable foods but I suspect something else is going on.
@larschristian_s @erikpavia @paulg @lilibalfour It's fine if you want to argue with me about it. I won't argue about facts. They're not my facts; I didn't do the research.
You can read the book if you like. There's also a free research paper
https://t.co/fyRJ2vv6yn
https://t.co/KM06TO5V3g
@Laurie07070758 @DBelardoMD unadjusted TEE for the Hadza is considerably *lower* than US. The paper is open access: https://t.co/pgnxVhMdRe as is this one with a similar punchline (more active populations don't burn more calories): https://t.co/wK0f7Ub6if
Apr 29, 2022 · 1 like · 12,146 followersView post →
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michelle Turner
@nurseMichelleT · X
RT @ellenfallows: Physical activity is critical for health (particularly mental health) but I find it rarely helps with weight loss i…
Physical activity is critical for health (particularly mental health) but I find it rarely helps with weight loss in practice. Evidence suggests people with increased activity don’t burn more calories https://t.co/3FrG649rXi
RT @DorsaAmir: You refer to Westerners as "modern humans".. What does that make the Hadza? Also, seeing a handful of people walk for a few…
Mar 27, 2022 · 4 shares · 499 followersView post →
A
Abie
@temptoetiam · X
RT @DorsaAmir: You refer to Westerners as "modern humans".. What does that make the Hadza? Also, seeing a handful of people walk for a few…
Mar 26, 2022 · 4 shares · 3,938 followersView post →
DA
Dorsa Amir
@DorsaAmir · X
You refer to Westerners as "modern humans".. What does that make the Hadza? Also, seeing a handful of people walk for a few days is now enough to make prescriptive claims about fitness? Here's a better approach by @HermanPontzer https://t.co/IQUgnGWjA5
5/
https://t.co/unEiIe09Qj
Mar 26, 2022 · 128 likes · 4 shares · 28,387 followersView post →
KC
ken crichlow
@ken_crichlow · X
Hunter-gatherer energetics and human obesity. | Scholars@Duke https://t.co/Gv3xLGZi46
Feb 11, 2022 · 11 likes · 1 share · 2,312 followersView post →
FS
Fusion Prog Guy @ fusionprogguy.bsky.social
@FusionProgGuy · X
@The_Nutrivore @kevinnbass While energy expenditure may be fairly similar, I suspect caloric intake would be quite different.
"...average daily energy expenditure of traditional Hadza foragers was no different than that of Westerners after controlling for body size." https://t.co/W41zeQ3KQ3 https://t.co/UpXyOb9zeW
May 18, 2021 · 4 likes · 1,587 followersView post →
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Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️
@ESYudkowsky · X
@karpathy Hey, Andrej, quick note to mention that (last time I checked) it was thought that aerobic exercise over 200cal starts causing other energy expenditures to drop, hence perhaps your lower-than-calculated weight loss. See eg https://t.co/JjsGin6pGW and https://t.co/Zy7HFShbGY.
Jun 12, 2020 · 23 likes · 212,917 followersView post →
K黒
kopiapoa(黒カウント)
@kopiapoa_029 · X
Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity
https://t.co/My6EqWuq65
https://t.co/My6EqWuq65
https://t.co/vV16acBxbW
この辺しか出てこないな。俺が読んだのと違うけども
@Eva3034385615 @kevinnbass Interestingly, hunting all day does not really add up to the kcal expenditure you would expect. Agree some metabolic benefits of PA of course (esp compared to sitting).
Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity
https://t.co/y8wz1P4Opj
Easier reading: https://t.co/u37eWL8ZUA
Feb 6, 2019 · 4 likes · 1 share · 10,545 followersView post →
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《无限可能的身体》9787221179357 | PDF
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pone.0040503. 7. FURNHAM A, PETRIDES K V,  ... DOI:10.1371/Journal.pone.0028279. 5. ROOK G A W ...
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[27]. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040503.t001. during this study came from wild foods, including tubers, berries, among traditional Hadza, and was specifically ...