Which term describes the balance between calories consumed and calories burned?

The term that accurately describes the balance between calories consumed and calories burned is energy balance. Energy balance refers to the relationship between the number of calories taken in through food and drink and the number of calories expended through physical activity and metabolism.

When an individual's energy intake matches their energy expenditure, they maintain their current weight, which is a state of equilibrium. This concept is essential for understanding weight management, as it directly affects whether a person gains, loses, or maintains weight.

The other options do not encapsulate this balance as comprehensively. An energy deficit occurs when calories burned exceed calories consumed, leading to weight loss, while an energy surplus occurs when more calories are consumed than expended, resulting in weight gain. Caloric intake merely refers to the number of calories consumed without considering what happens to those calories in terms of expenditure. Thus, energy balance is the most comprehensive term for the relationship in question.