If a person consumes 2,400 kcal/day and expends 2,600 kcal/day, what is the short-term expected direction of body weight change and why?

• A. Weight is expected to increase because intake is sufficient and the body will store all excess nutrients even when expending more energy.
• B. Weight is expected to decrease because energy expenditure exceeds intake producing a caloric deficit.
• C. Weight will unpredictably swing between gain and loss because energy balance does not reliably predict short-term changes.
• D. Weight will remain unchanged because daily fluctuations always average out and the body adjusts overnight.

Answer: (B)