<P> Recognizing that people of different age and gender groups have varying daily activity levels, Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council recommends no single daily energy intake but instead prescribes an appropriate recommendation for each age and gender group . Notwithstanding, nutrition labels on Australian food products typically recommend the average daily energy intake of 2,100 kcal (8,800 kJ). </P> <P> The human body uses the energy released by respiration for a wide range of purposes: about 20% of the energy is used for brain metabolism, and much of the rest is used for the basal metabolic requirements of other organs and tissues . In cold environments, metabolism may increase simply to produce heat to maintain body temperature . Among the diverse uses for energy, one is the production of mechanical energy by skeletal muscle to maintain posture and produce motion . </P> <P> The conversion efficiency of energy from respiration into mechanical (physical) power depends on the type of food and on the type of physical energy usage (e.g., which muscles are used, whether the muscle is used aerobically or anaerobically). In general, the efficiency of muscles is rather low: only 18 to 26% of the energy available from respiration is converted into mechanical energy . This low efficiency is the result of about 40% efficiency of generating ATP from the respiration of food, losses in converting energy from ATP into mechanical work inside the muscle, and mechanical losses inside the body . The latter two losses are dependent on the type of exercise and the type of muscle fibers being used (fast - twitch or slow - twitch). For an overall efficiency of 20%, one watt of mechanical power is equivalent to 4.3 kcal (18 kJ) per hour . For example, a manufacturer of rowing equipment shows calories released from' burning' food as four times the actual mechanical work, plus 300 kcal (1,300 kJ) per hour, which amounts to about 20% efficiency at 250 watts of mechanical output . It can take up to 20 hours of little physical output (e.g., walking) to "burn off" 4,000 kcal (17,000 kJ) more than a body would otherwise consume . For reference, each kilogram of body fat is roughly equivalent to 32,300 kilojoules or 7,700 kilocalories of food energy (i.e., 3,500 kilocalories per pound). </P> <P> Changes in body temperature--either hotter or cooler--increase the metabolic rate, thus burning more energy . Prolonged exposure to extremely warm or very cold environments increases the basal metabolic rate (BMR). People who live in these types of settings often have BMRs 5--20% higher than those in other climates . </P>

Where is the energy released from when food is metabolized