Glossary
Chapter 5

Anorexia nervosa	An eating disorder characterized by self-imposed starvation to lose and maintain very low body weight.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR)	The lowest level of oxygen consumption necessary to sustain life.
Bulimia nervosa	An eating disorder characterized by a pattern of binge eating and purging in an attempt to lose weight and maintain low body weight.
Cellulite	Term frequently used in reference to fat deposits that “bulge out”; these deposits are nothing but enlarged fat cells from excessive accumulation of body fat.
Energy-balancing equation	A principle holding that as long as caloric input equals caloric output, the person will not gain or lose weight. If caloric intake exceeds output, the person gains weight; when output exceeds input, the person loses weight.
Glycemic index	An index that is used to rate the plasma glucose response of carbohydrate-containing foods with the response produced by the same amount of carbohydrate from a standard source, usually glucose or white bread.
Hypokinetic	Lacking physical activity.
Olestra	Fat substitute made from sugar and fatty acids; provides no calories to the body because it passes through the digestive system without being absorbed.
Setpoint	Weight control theory that the body has an established weight and strongly attempts to maintain that weight.
Spot reducing	Fallacious theory that exercising a specific body part will result in significant fat reduction in that area.
Weight-regulating mechanism (WRM)	A feature of the hypothalamus of the brain that controls how much the body should weigh.
Yo-yo dieting	Constantly losing and gaining weight.

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