relationship between SDA and food consumption when the latter exceeds
the maintenance metabolism. This approach is expressed graphically in
Figure 4, alter Smith (l980), which represenl: the l'ood energy partition in
the body as a function of feeding level. ll SDA, like other energy losses. is
indeed proportional to the ingested food energy, all losses ofenergy can be
accumulated and the total energy loss (A) can be expressed as a fraction
(or percentage) of the ingested food.