Expose yourself to cold weather if you want to reduce body fat say researchers

Studies by Marken Lichtenbelt of Maastricht University Medical Center were published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, January 22nd issue. It studied the effect of mild cold in direct relation to body fat. The long term effects are unknown, but exposure to mild cold sees a drop in individual’s body weight. A research group from Japan on the same lines of study found that individuals exposed to 17 degree Celsius of temperature 2 hours a day showed a decrease in body fat. Lichtenbelt’s team also found that people who have been exposed to cold for 10 days had an increase in brown fat, shivered less and also got much used to the cold. Exposures to lower temperatures affect the amount of energy that is spent by the human body. Lichtenbelt says that “By lack of exposure to a varied ambient temperature, whole populations may be prone to develop diseases like obesity. In addition, people become vulnerable to sudden changes in ambient temperature."