• Home
  • Nutrition advice
  • Fitness advice
  • Beauty advice
  • Recipes
  • About the Experts
English | Español

Discover Good
  • Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty

Warmer Temperature, Bigger Bodies?


 Posted by Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training  0 Comment

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars
Loading ... Loading ...

Set the thermostat for weight management.

Can turning up the thermostat be making us put on weight? A recent review article1 suggests that adjusting the temperature just might. Thanks to thermostats and indoor heating we’ve reduced our exposure to the cold, which means that we may be relying less on our body’s natural mechanisms to keep us warm—mechanisms that would normally burn calories.

In a recent Obesity Reviews article, scientists noted that the indoor temperatures at which we feel comfortable have nudged upwards over the last 30 years or so. On top of that, we’re moving in the direction of what’s known as ‘thermal monotony.’ We tend to keep indoor temperatures fairly steady at all hours, rather than letting them dip at night as they would naturally do. Not only have we increased our average living room temperatures by a couple of degrees, but our average bedroom temperatures at night have bumped up even more.

The review zeroed in on the role of a particular type of fat, called brown fat. It’s been known to play a major role in generating heat, at least in small animals and babies. As people get older, they tend to lose their brown fat, accumulating instead the ‘white’ fat that serves primarily as a holding tank for extra calories. Until recently, the assumption has been that adults have little to no brown fat. Even in those who do, it doesn’t do very much in the way of burning and producing heat.

But recent technological advances have allowed researchers to more readily identify brown fat deposits in adults. In one study cited in the review, metabolically active brown fat was detected in 23 of 24 subjects when the ambient temperature was dropped by about 6 °C (11°F). A little calculating suggested that, under conditions where the brown fat could be fully activated, subjects could burn the calorie equivalent of about 4 kg (almost 9 pounds) of body fat in a year’s time.

Keep in mind, though, that not all adults have brown fat, and it’s not easy to determine if you do or you don’t (a PET scan under cold conditions is required). Unlike animals that naturally eat less as it gets hot and move around when more it’s cold, we don’t shift our food intake and energy expenditure when temperatures rise and fall. Overcoming our natural inclinations, we’re perfectly happy to sit in our heated homes and chow down in comfort.

So, while it’s tempting to think that ‘chilling out’ might be the answer to losing weight, a healthy diet and plenty of exercise is still in order. While it may play a role, simply turning down the heat and shedding some clothes isn’t going to solve the problem on its own.

1Johnson F et al.  Could increased time spent in a thermal comfort zone contribute to population increases in obesity?  Obesity Reviews, 2011 (published online 1/24/2011)

« 5 Tips for a Better Diet
The Truth About Sugar in Fruit »

    Share This


Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training
Susan is the Senior Director of Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training at Herbalife, where she is responsible for the development of nutrition education and training materials, and is one of the primary authors of the Herbalife-sponsored blog, www.discovergoodnutrition.com. She is a Registered Dietitian and holds two Board Certifications from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management. Susan is also a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Susan graduated with distinction in biology from the University of Colorado, and received her master’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Colorado State University. She then completed her dietetic internship at the University of Kansas. Susan has taught extensively and developed educational programs targeted to individuals, groups and industry in her areas of expertise, including health promotion, weight management and sports nutrition. Prior to her role at Herbalife, she was the assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, and has held appointments as adjunct professor in nutrition at Pepperdine University and as lecturer in nutrition in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Susan was a consultant to the (then) Los Angeles Raiders for six seasons, and was a contributing columnist for the Los Angeles Times Health Section for two years. She is a co-author of 23 research papers, 14 book chapters, and was a co-author of two books for the public: “What Color is Your Diet?” and “The L.A. Shape Diet” by Dr. David Heber, published by Harper Collins in 2001 and 2004, respectively.


  • Search

  • Sign Up for Updates

  • Meal Plans

    • 1200 calorie diet
      Try This 3-Day 1200 Calorie Diet Plan
    • Streamline Your Diet With This Healthy 1500 Calorie Plan
    • 2200 calorie diet
      Sample Menus for a 2200 Calorie Diet Plan
    • personalized diet
      How to Create a Personalized Diet Plan
    • 1800 calorie diet
      Healthy 1800 Calorie Diet Plan
  • Fitness advice

    • muffin topHow to Get Rid of Your Muffin Top Forever
    • fitness journalHow to Keep a Fitness Journal
    • strength training6 Great Reasons to Start Strength Training
    • gym workoutVIDEO: #ActiveBodyFit – Challenge Gym Workout 1
    • circuit trainingQuick Blast Body Weight Circuit Training
  • Beauty advice

    • hair brushHow to Choose the Ideal Brush for Your Hair
    • Dry brushing4 Easy Steps of Dry Brushing Exfoliation
    • Perfect holiday hair | Herbalife beauty advicePerfect holiday hair: 5 simple styles to try!
    • DIY Manicure Tips for Salon Inspired Nails
    • Go for the Glow: 4 Ways Exercise Helps Your Skin
  • Nutrition advice

    • supertasterAre You a Supertaster?
    • Chefs' diet secrets
    • healthy behaviorHealthy Behavior: Making Healthy Diet Changes that Last
    • diet techniquePopular Dieting Tools and Techniques
    • Heart healthHeart health: How to fine tune your diet in 5 easy steps



Privacy Policy | CCPA Suplemmental Notice

Copyright © 2019 Herbalife International of America, Inc.