A/C is making us fat?

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Replies

  • kumitekg
    kumitekg Posts: 61
    I definitely think this could be a possibility. Periodically I will go outside of my office just to walk around the building (only half around if it is over 100 degrees) and that seems to help me regulate my temperature. I hate being cold!

    This !! I go out at lunch just to warm up and be able to work in the afternoon too !
  • AltusAFB_HAWC_RD
    AltusAFB_HAWC_RD Posts: 1
    This was actually published in a medical journal a few years ago. Not a study, just researchers speculating on alternate causes of the obesity "epidemic." They cited the concentration of obesity in the Southeastern US where air conditioning is prevalent. They also speculated that lower smoking rates could have contributed to the problem. They didn't cite these things as causes, or excuses, just coincidences. We all know that correlation is not causation. Remember, our activity has not changed that much. But our food landscape? VASTLY different, even from when I was a child in the 1970s.
  • wtfusernameisnttaken
    wtfusernameisnttaken Posts: 192
    I had an interesting conversation with a coworker the other day. His theory is that our bodies tend to hold on to our fat stores to help keep us warm and comfortable since we're typically in an air conditioned environment all the time. Like an evolution kind of thing? On the flip side, you could argue that we actually burn more calories warming up our bodies all the time (I know I'm always freezing at work!).

    What do you all think?

    A/C or not I'm always too hot. I keep a fan on me as much as possible. While that may be a problem for some, I don't think it holds true for everyone.

    ^^ Ditto. I am ALWAYS hot and rarely cold. The only time I seem to get cold is when it's below O outside. (which living in MN happens a bit)
  • xxpipsxx
    xxpipsxx Posts: 30 Member
    Biologist here, and imho no way is that true. FIrst of all even if the biology behind it was correct,evolution would take way way longer to work, you must understand that we don’t physically change through evolution, the gene pool does, therefore through different generations there are changes, not just through one generation, its not possible for one generation to just all evolve something like that. Secondly scientific studies would actually tend to go the other way. They have shown that one of the reasons that we as a generation are larger than previous, is due to the invention of central heating. We are in a warmer environment during the winter, and therefore our bodies do not need to burn off as much fat to regulate our bodies temperature. I would even go as far as to suggest that A/c should actualy help you stay slimmer. Probably not what you want to hear, sorry about that, just exciting for me to discuss something in my field here :)
  • Lyerin
    Lyerin Posts: 818 Member
    I think the obesity problem is more due to the fact that we eat more and move less.
  • _Timmeh_
    _Timmeh_ Posts: 2,096 Member
    When it's hot I like to drink ice cold beer, lots of it. Therefore the heat is making me fat.
  • Micahroni84
    Micahroni84 Posts: 452 Member
    Hmmm... Don't they say that if you drink ice water you burn 8 calories per ounce because of the work your body has to do to stay warm? Seems like the same would go for ac???
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    Um no. When I'm super hot and uncomfortable the last thing I want to do is move around and exercise.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    Hmmm... Don't they say that if you drink ice water you burn 8 calories per ounce because of the work your body has to do to stay warm? Seems like the same would go for ac???
    This is a myth.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I never would have been overweight a day in my life if that one were true. In fact, I'd be a tiny little bony thing.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    I know when we don't run ours and it's really hot out, I am not as hungry.

    Me too - but I sure am more grouchy!
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    Your body uses energy to warm up so you are going to burn more calories trying to stay warm when it's cold...
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    Hmm. It's funny. I just read about ppl like him the other day. Is he the type who throws out theories like this a lot (normally, at random times) and pretends to be smart?
  • hulkweazel
    hulkweazel Posts: 36 Member
    Complete and utter BS, and just another lame excuse to put blame on someone other than themselves. America is getting fatter because people are eating more and moving less, period, has nothing to do with lame stuff like EC.

    In reality, being colder actually burns MORE calories than being warm, since your your body has to relegate your temperature. Not to mention, people are probably more inclined to move around when cold than when warm.

    So in conclusion, there is absolutely ZERO basis for his stupid conclusion, and if anything, it would actually be the exact OPPOSITE of what he theorizes.

    I apologize if I sound harsh, but coming up with BS reasons for being overweight like this really angers me.

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