Match the abbreviation to its correct meaning: TEF.

• A. Therapeutic Energy Factor — a clinical multiplier used in hospital feeding protocols unrelated to digestion.
• B. Thermic Effect of Food — energy required to digest, absorb, and metabolize nutrients.
• C. Total Exercise Frequency — number of exercise sessions per week used to estimate activity expenditure.
• D. Transient Energy Flux — short-term fluctuations in metabolic rate within one meal period.

Answer: (B)