Relative Importance of Inactivity and Overeating in the Energy Balance of Obese High School Girls

Two groups of high school girls, 28 obese subjects and 28 nonobese individuals of similar height, age, and grade, were compared in regard to physical maturation, food intake, and activity. The groups were found to differ in maturation, obese girls showing advanced development, i.e., earlier deceleration of growth in height and earlier menarche. Activities were represented by a system of indices devised for this study. Both groups were found to be relatively inactive, but the obese girls were significantly more so. When caloric intakes and activity indices were compared for each group to determine the salient energy factors in the development and maintenance of obesity, it appeared that on a statistical basis, inactivity was much more important than "overeating." In fact, the caloric intake of the obese group was significantly lower than that of the nonobese group, with the relatively greater energy balance being consequently supplied by inactivity.