Abstract.A group of chronically undernourished labourers underwent a period of controlled supplementary feeding (3.35 MJ per day) over a period of 12 weeks. Thermogenic responses to Noradrenaline (NA) (0.15 μg kg–1fat‐free mass per min) were assessed (1) before supplementation (2) during the 12th week of supplementation and (3) 12–16 weeks following the cessation of supplementation. There were significant changes in anthropometric indices and basal metabolic rates (BMR) during the three stages of the study; however, these were not accompanied by significant changes in the thermogenic responses