Over time, studies have shown that metabolic rate (how fast we burn calories) starts to slow down by 2 to 3 percent each decade, beginning in our 20s. It becomes more noticeable between ages 40 and 60.
Researchers found that metabolism peaks around age 1, when babies burn calories 50 percent faster than adults, and then gradually declines roughly 3 percent a year until around age 20.
Metabolism drops starting at age 10
But by the age of 16, their calorie expenditure begins to climb again. The study also found that teenagers exercise less during puberty, adding to the calorie excess that underlies obesity.
Teenagers may be said to eat their parents out of house and home, but research suggests their daily energy expenditure isn't much greater than that of adults.
But in fact, even though your metabolism is slower at night when you are stationary than when you are active, your metabolism never stops working, even when you are sleeping. Calories consumed at night won't change your metabolism or count more than calories consumed during the day.
However, some teens may suffer from a slower metabolism and can gain an unhealthy amount of weight. Fortunately, lifestyle changes such as exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and eating a balanced diet can help teens speed up their metabolism.
A new study suggests that children's metabolism temporarily slows during puberty, a pattern that might help explain the current teen obesity problem. The study found that kids' resting energy expenditure typically dropped during puberty. That refers to the number of calories the body burns at rest.
"The biggest thing people do that slows their metabolism down is eating too few calories," said Fiore. 1200 calories per day is roughly the amount you need to perform basic functions, she suggested, and when a person eats fewer than that, the metabolism slows down to conserve energy.
Recent research finds that our metabolism doesn't slow down as much as we thought with age, and teens aren't the calorie-burning marvels we thought. Study findings suggest that we burn calories the fastest in our first year of life, steady down to our “normal” rate by our 20s and stay that way into our 50s.
Weight loss can benefit people of all ages — even teens. Losing excess body fat can improve health and boost self-esteem and confidence. However, it's important for teens to lose weight the healthy way by making diet and lifestyle changes that nourish growing bodies and can be followed long term.
People with more muscle mass often have faster metabolisms that burn more calories. Age: You lose muscle as you get older, which slows down the metabolism. Sex: Males tend to have faster metabolisms than females. They have more muscle mass, larger bones and less body fat.
As we age, our metabolism slows and the rate at which we break down food decreases by 10 percent each decade after age 20. Metabolism is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses to maintain itself.
Those extra pounds were packed on in early adulthood: The average American gained about 17.6 pounds from their mid-20s to mid-30s, the study found. Meanwhile, the average person gained about 14.3 pounds between their 30s and 40s, 9.5 pounds between their 40s and 50s, and 4.6 pounds between their 50s and 60s.
Metabolism tends to slow after a teenager stops growing. Because a number of factors can affect metabolism, there isn't a particular age when a teen's metabolism slows down -- it varies from one teenager to another.
Many guys and girls are skinny until they start to go through puberty. The changes that come with puberty include weight gain and, in guys, broader shoulders and increased muscle mass.
Studies have shown that excess weight and obesity affect the start of puberty differently for boys and girls. In girls, it can cause early puberty and in boys it can delay puberty.
Metabolism is partly genetic and largely outside of one's control. Changing it is a matter of considerable debate. Some people are just lucky. They inherited genes that promote a faster metabolism and can eat more than others without gaining weight.
During Puberty
"Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) increases mostly because this is when girls experience a big growth spurt," says Mary Ellen Pavone, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
You can't gain height by losing weight. But you can lose weight by living healthfully. This, in turn, might reduce your risk of losing height in later life due to obesity-linked conditions like osteoporosis.
MYTH! You can't measure the speed of your metabolism by your puddles of perspiration. There are a number of reasons why you may have to towel off after a workout: It's hot in the gym, your gym clothes don't wick sweat, or you bundled up when it wasn't that chilly outside.