In what way does age affect the metabolic rate of infants compared to adults?

Infants typically have a higher metabolic rate compared to adults due to their rapid growth and development needs. This heightened metabolic rate facilitates essential processes such as cellular growth, energy production, and overall development. As infants grow and transition into childhood and adulthood, their metabolic rate decreases. This decrease is influenced by factors such as increased body mass and changes in hormonal balance, rendering the metabolic demands lower as they move into later stages of life.

The metabolism of infants is designed to support their unique nutritional needs, requiring more energy intake per kilogram of body weight than adults. As they mature, the physiological demands shift, resulting in a gradual decline in metabolic rate, making the relationship between age and metabolic rate somewhat consistent. Thus, the physiological changes that occur as infants grow can lead to a lower metabolic rate over time.