Air Conditioning & Obesity

chris0912

I read an article a year or so ago suggesting a possible link between air conditioning and obesity. It talked about how, in the days before central air and forced-air heat, the body's normal cycle was to bulk up when the weather started to get chilly in the fall (to provide an extra layer of fat insulation) and then to shed that extra weight when the weather broke in the spring. But since the advent of controlled heating and cooling, we're fooling our bodies into keeping the weight and then adding on to it. By not experiencing the weather fluctuations, our bodies do not have to work (and thus burn more calories) to warm up or cool down. And it starts to create a cycle... the heavier we are, the hotter we get, so we crank the air down another degree.

I think this makes a lot of sense. I have always been one for turning the air on as soon as the weather hits 80 because I hate to sweat. I'll definitely be reconsidering that this summer.

believetoachieve

Hmmm.. but that doesn't necessarily explain those who live in permanently hot or cold climates? Really interesting though - can you recall where/which magazine you read it in? They may be onto something - def something to consider! I don't have air conditioning in my house, so I'm good! :bigsmile:

marji4x

this sounds like another excuse to blame obesity on anything that means we don't have to stop eating more. XD

I doubt it has any effect and if it does, maybe it only affects us minimally. I'm sure if I eat right and work out the way I've been doing, I will continue to lose weight, Air Conditioning or not!

crystal_sapphire

that doesn't make much sense IMO

msowens

My personal opinion is that such an article is baloney. Like many of the breathless stories the media pushes on us, they ignore the difference between "correlation" and "causation". They give us only a headline-grabbing summary with no real facts, then are on to the next one.

I've lived all over the country and outside the US too. My personal experience is that I was fattest when I lived in the upper midwest, and lighter when I lived in hot (A/C prevalent) climates like the deep south, Texas, and the Middle East. I've also observed the significant difference in portion sizes and meal composition in, for example in England or Korea as compared to the US. It all came down to watching what I ate and my activity level.

I think a much more obvious cause of obesity is: less physical activity (more sedentary lifestyles); larger portions which encourage overeating; and processed/packaged foods that have more calories per ounce than whole foods.

chris0912

sorry, don't remember where i read it.

this was based on scientific study. and they did not claim it to be the be-all-end-all reason for obesity. they merely stated that it appeared to be a contributing factor (like diet, lifestyle, quitting smoking, etc).

aeckels616

If the body's normal cycle was to shed weight in the summer, I would assume it had more to do with the fact that people worked and played sports more in the summer than in the winter. Seasonal activity levels, not actual temperature outside.

Pricklypineapple422

Correlation does not always imply causation, so I could see if a study found a correlation between temperature control and obesity - but that does not mean it is a contributing factor.

mitch16

I think the industrial revolution as a whole has made people fatter.

missysippy930

I don’t agree at all with this observation.

Never, in all my 67 years have lived in a home with AC. More over, I live in MN where we have very cold winters, for months on end. We have festivals and outdoor activities all winter long, as well as the rest of the year. Kind of blows this theory. I became obese from overeating, and I would guess that’s true for most people. Personal responsibility is sadly lacking today. Too willing to blame something, or someone else. There’s nothing, or no one else to blame for my obesity. It lies squarely on my shoulders.

P.S. we are having temperatures in high 80’s -90’s , with very high humidity and tropical dew points at present. We get it all here!

MelanieCN77

It's a lot of nonsense. The advent of super prevalent air conditioning also runs on a track alongside increased automation in much of our lives. Every advance we make that moves us away from a subsistence type lifestyle reduces how active we need to be on a day to day basis. We might as well say dishwashers make us obese.

glovepuppet

Correlation ≠ causation

The advent of Aircon coincided with the advent of a lot of labour saving devices. Anecdotally, if you notice more obese people using Aircon, it could just be that being obese makes people suffer more in the heat.

I'm not going to say it's impossible that there's a slight impact, but I'd want to see evidence before I give the theory any weight.

gottswald

Shivering burns a lot of calories...

RelCanonical

Correlative at best, and doesn't really go into the reasoning behind why it's the case. I'm going to guess it just keeps people indoors more, leading to more sedentary behavior. "Bulking up" for the winter could be instinctual, but the body itself does nothing to "hold onto" fat. People just feel a desire to eat more in winter because it's comforting.

rosebarnalice

Funny that I was having a conversation about this with an older friend of mine (early 70s) who is convinced that air conditioning has made subsequent generations "soft."

As a forester for more than 40 years (very active, lots of manual labor and time outdoors) he said he ate "nary a thing" in the summer because the heat made him sick to his stomach. "Biscuit and coffee for breakfast, and then nothing but water until after the sun went down." In contrast, in cooler weather, he said he could could "eat like a horse and work like a steam engine"

NovusDies

The AC doesn't override personal choices. Assuming there is not a mental or physical disability it is our choice to eat more. It is also our choice to be less active. The AC might make the choice to be inside on the couch easier but it is still a choice.

CSARdiver

This makes sense to one's confirmation bias, but it lacks objective evidence.

TallGent66

missysippy930 wrote: »

I don’t agree at all with this observation.

Never, in all my 67 years have lived in a home with AC. More over, I live in MN where we have very cold winters, for months on end. We have festivals and outdoor activities all winter long, as well as the rest of the year. Kind of blows this theory. I became obese from overeating, and I would guess that’s true for most people. Personal responsibility is sadly lacking today. Too willing to blame something, or someone else. There’s nothing, or no one else to blame for my obesity. It lies squarely on my shoulders.

P.S. we are having temperatures in high 80’s -90’s , with very high humidity and tropical dew points at present. We get it all here!

My family in the Twin Cities say the mosquito is the state bird!

LyndaBSS

Hmmmmm. Well, if nothing else, I'm probably burning a few calories wondering if the theory holds water, which I do when there's no a/c. 😯

puffbrat

This thread is from 2011 and was bumped by a sales pitch for air conditioning.

Also, anthropologically speaking, in many climates food is in short supply in the winter while more ample supplies of food are available in the summer and fall. Because of this seasonal cyle, some modern forager communities have been shown to eat in a surplus in the warmer months when food is available and eat in a deficit in the cold months when there is less food available.

earlnabby

Well, I should lose a bunch in the next week. My a/c is broken down and we are supposed to be in the mid 90°s by Friday. Can't get a technician until next Monday.

Gamliela

Hot weather makes me feel a little nauseous, so for me that can be a bonus during summer months. I don't have A/C atm and its ok. I find fatty foods and high carb foods will make me sweat a lot and feel more heated. So idk if that acually means that air conditioners cause obesity, a statement like that is a stretch! Still, I think in winter I do eat more to compensate for feeling cold, so maybe its instinctive to eat when feeling chilly. Correlations should be scientifically investigated though, maybe, if its worth the money?

Addictead

I'm the opposite, I eat less in winter and more in summer. Part is that fruit is cheaper in summer, and I love fruit. But it's a pretty identifiable trend for me, I live in the southen United States so it's warm here with mild winters if that means anything

psychod787

Simple answer.... GO OUTSIDE!

seltzermint555

Just personal experience/observation, not really trying to "prove" anything on the subject. But when I was a teenager, already over 200 lb and very sedentary, I remember visiting a friend whose family did not have A/C (unheard of in southern Missouri even back in the 90s) and I had no appetite for the entire week - maybe ate a little fruit and a sandwich each day - and my clothes were baggy after I returned home...where I once again lived in a cocoon of blankets at 65 degrees and heartily chowed down on frozen burritos, cookies, etc. Then again, I was used to being cold all of the time so I'm sure that played a big part.

TangledThread

It's only antidotal but true for me.

I grew up without AC in the Midwest and my first apartment with AC was in my mid twenties.

Once the temperature in the house reached 93 F my appetite disappeared and eating was impossible. July and August I lived off watermelon, cottage cheese, and popsicles. It was unbearable inside so all of our time was outside working and playing so lots of extra activities on little food. I lost plenty of weight each summer.

Eating was hard but sleeping harder. It’s not something I’m willing to go back to. AC is wonderful.

cwolfman13

Hmmm...I've had AC my entire life and I'm not obese. I put on some weight and became overweight in my 30s, but that had more to do with going from being an active college student to sitting behind a desk all day at work.

NovusDies

Gamliela wrote: »

Hot weather makes me feel a little nauseous, so for me that can be a bonus during summer months. I don't have A/C atm and its ok. I find fatty foods and high carb foods will make me sweat a lot and feel more heated. So idk if that acually means that air conditioners cause obesity, a statement like that is a stretch! Still, I think in winter I do eat more to compensate for feeling cold, so maybe its instinctive to eat when feeling chilly. Correlations should be scientifically investigated though, maybe, if its worth the money?

I tend to go lower carb in the summer too for the same reason. I absolutely cannot eat until I cool down and it has always impacted my weight a little. However, it is generally not hot enough for long enough to offset an entire 8ish other months of eating.

The one exception to my natural desire to go low carb in the summer was usually cold caloric beverages that really add up fast.

paperpudding

psychod787 wrote: »

Simple answer.... GO OUTSIDE!

Well, yes, in most parts of the world and with modern and ample clothing and lighting sources - street lights ,torches etc

Not really practical in days gone by in winters of snow and many people not having the abundance of clothing we do today nor the means to see in the dark

Not surprising they huddled inside for winter as much as possible.

I know myself, in a climate where it never gets low enough to snow - I am less active in winter - by the time I knock off work, it is cold and dark - the dog (and therefore me) doesnt get an evening walk, I dont get out into the garden etc
Can imagine how that would apply even more in places like, say, Scotland, where it is so much colder and darker by mid afternoon

and in summer I tend to eat more light meals like salads.

If I were not tracking and controlling it, I'm sure I would find a natural greater CI in winter and a lesser CO

That has nothing to do with air con.

ninerbuff

Ain't buying it. I've seen a lot of obese Russians in Russia. And when it's cold, they wear warm clothing. And turn the heat up in the home.

https://www.rbth.com/politics_and_society/2016/10/21/waistline-wars-the-obesity-problem-russia-has-yet-to-acknowledge_640935

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

yirara

I think the weight gain due to aircon is mainly something that affects women. Men have a lower feel well temperature, hence women are more likely to freeze when men feel great. So how to counteract that? Jump up from the desk far too often to just get some movement and warm hands and feet again, go to the kitchen to get more hot tea for warming up. And take cookies along from there