Cold weather can help you lose weight faster, study says

A joint European study has found that keeping the body in a cold environment can speed up the weight loss process. According to the researchers, cold temperatures activate the body's 'brown fat' and help increase calorie consumption.

The study, conducted jointly by researchers from the University of Nottingham in the UK and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, included 47 obese people. The participants were asked to wear a special 'ice vest' for a certain period of time.

The researchers said that being in a cold environment caused significant changes in the participants' bodies and indicated relatively rapid weight loss.

The study says that when exposed to cold, the body's 'brown fat' becomes active. This special type of fat burns calories to maintain normal body temperature. As a result, excess body fat can gradually decrease.

In addition, the body starts shivering in cold weather, which is basically a natural process of heat production. During this shivering, muscle activity increases and additional energy is expended. According to researchers, this may also play a role in increasing calorie consumption.

Dr. Mariette Bonn, the lead researcher of the study, said that this is one of the first studies on the effects of long-term cold environments on people suffering from overweight and obesity.

She said that the cold environment forces the body to activate brown fat and at the same time encourages the muscles to work to produce heat, which helps maintain normal body temperature.

Source - Samaa TV