BMR is highest in infancy and then decreases with age. Which option correctly reflects this statement?

BMR is highest in infancy and then decreases with age. Which option correctly reflects this statement?

• A. It is highest in infancy and then decreases with age
• B. It remains constant from infancy to adulthood
• C. It peaks in adolescence
• D. It is lowest in infancy and increases later

Answer: (A)

BMR tends to be the highest during infancy because the body is growing and developing rapidly, requiring a lot of energy for processes like brain growth, organ maturation, and thermoregulation. As children grow, the rate of growth slows, body composition changes (more lean mass relative to fat), and energy needs per kilogram decrease. So the baseline energy expenditure declines with age, making infancy the period with the highest BMR (per unit of body weight) and a gradual decrease thereafter. That’s why the statement that BMR is highest in infancy and then decreases with age is the best description. It’s not constant across life, it doesn’t peak during adolescence, and it isn’t lowest in infancy with later increases.

BMR tends to be the highest during infancy because the body is growing and developing rapidly, requiring a lot of energy for processes like brain growth, organ maturation, and thermoregulation. As children grow, the rate of growth slows, body composition changes (more lean mass relative to fat), and energy needs per kilogram decrease. So the baseline energy expenditure declines with age, making infancy the period with the highest BMR (per unit of body weight) and a gradual decrease thereafter.

That’s why the statement that BMR is highest in infancy and then decreases with age is the best description. It’s not constant across life, it doesn’t peak during adolescence, and it isn’t lowest in infancy with later increases.