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Does Cranking Up The Heat Make You Fat?

DETROIT (WWJ) - Some interesting new research says exposure to cold may help boost weight loss. So why aren't we all skinny?

Researchers in the Netherlands say regular exposure to mild cold may help people lose weight.

But here's the sticking point: They say our warm, cozy homes and offices might be partly responsible for our expanding waistlines.

Most of us are exposed to indoor conditions 90 percent of the time, so what happens if we let our bodies work to control body temperature?

The researchers say evidence suggests a more variable indoor temperature – one that rises and falls with temperatures outside – would significantly affect how many calories we burn over long periods.

Japanese researchers found body fat dropped in people who spent two hours a day at 62 degrees for six weeks.

The Netherlands team also found we get used to cold over time; brown or good body fat increases, we feel more comfortable, and we shiver less.

In young and middle-aged people, non-shivering heat production can account for up to 30 percent of the body's energy budget.

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