Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2013) 32 S24.3 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.32.S24.3

ECE2013 Symposia Redefining our understanding of the causes of obesity (3 abstracts)

Ambient temperature and other environmental factors in obesity

Fiona Johnson & Jane Wardle


University College London, London, UK.


Discussion of environmental factors in the development and maintenance of obesity has overwhelmingly focused on the effects of an energy-dense and plentiful food supply and an environment conducive to physical inactivity. In recent years, however, an increased understanding of epigenetics has led to an explosion of interest in the mechanisms through which environmental exposures can exert an influence on energy intake and energy expenditure. Upward trends in domestic winter indoor temperatures is one such influence. Plausible causal mechanisms have been suggested for an effect of reduced exposure to mild cold on population increases in obesity. Experimental studies confirm that human energy expenditure is associated with temperature exposures within the range relevant to indoor heating trends, and the existence of variable amounts of cold-activated brown adipose tissue in adult humans has raised the possibility that thermogenic capacity might be adversely affected by reduced seasonal cold exposure. While these pathways are plausible their validity has not yet been demonstrated in free-living humans. As with other putative environmental factors, translating laboratory research to a real world setting presents a substantial challenge and there are many outstanding questions around the triggering of biological and behavioural compensation mechanisms. Nonetheless the study of the role of environmental factors in body weight raises exciting possibiliies for novel public health strategies to address obesity.

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