A/C is making us fat?

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  • MrsAgi
    MrsAgi Posts: 338 Member
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    LOL, there's pretty much no such thing as A/C n the UK (it never really gets hot enough TBH), but we're all fat too......
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    The whole point of air conditioning is to make the temperature more comfortable for us. You're suggesting that our bodies are trying to compensate for that in order to make us more comfortable... to combat the already-comfortable temperature?
    LOL maybe? The problem is that someone else sets the temperature, and it's usually too cold for me. Like goose bumps constantly, so I have to wear a sweater all the time.
    I was trying to point out how nonsensical this idea is, but it seems that it still makes sense to you. If you lived in a climate where it was 70 degrees year round would that make you fat?
  • fat214
    fat214 Posts: 109
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    I think it could of been the burger I eat while sitting in the A/C at Burger King :tongue: NOT REALLY but I wish I was at Burger King.
  • ahmommy
    ahmommy Posts: 316 Member
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    The whole point of air conditioning is to make the temperature more comfortable for us. You're suggesting that our bodies are trying to compensate for that in order to make us more comfortable... to combat the already-comfortable temperature?
    LOL maybe? The problem is that someone else sets the temperature, and it's usually too cold for me. Like goose bumps constantly, so I have to wear a sweater all the time.
    I was trying to point out how nonsensical this idea is, but it seems that it still makes sense to you. If you lived in a climate where it was 70 degrees year round would that make you fat?
    I understand your point, and I don't necessarily agree with my coworker. I'm just curious what other people think about what he had to say.
  • XaviAvant
    XaviAvant Posts: 20 Member
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    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?

    In my honest opinion, kinda yes and no. The A/C isn't making us fat, it's the fact that, in a climate-controlled environment our bodies don't have to work as hard to keep our internal temperatures in check.

    See, when you keep the thermostat at a constant 72 degrees (or whatever temperature you feel comfortable at) your body no longer has to work to regulate your temperature. Now If you were to get too hot, you start to sweat to cool off, which means you're burning more calories just to keep cool. Same thing when you're cold, you start to shiver, which is sort of your body's way of saying "Yo, it's cold in here, get those blood vessels pumping or you're gonna freeze bro."

    Having the AC on all day doesn't make you fat, it just means your body isn't burning calories it otherwise would've used to keep your temperature in check itself.
  • joeamendiola
    joeamendiola Posts: 54
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    I think you actually burn more calories when your cold to try to stay warm.
  • laurenislost
    laurenislost Posts: 28 Member
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    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!
  • tpittsley77
    tpittsley77 Posts: 607 Member
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    Please show me some scientific data to back up this utter nonsense. A/C leaves it 70 degrees. That is not cold. Your body will store fat to stay warm in arctic climates. Since when is 70 artic? Rubbish.
    This is far from scientific, this is a conversation with a coworker that I thought was interesting. Nowhere close to trying to pass this off as fact. Nor did I say I believe it.

    I think your coworker is rationalizing being fat. I would have laughed him out of the office for this crap.
  • joeamendiola
    joeamendiola Posts: 54
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    I say the heat makes you fat because when its hot, I just want to stay indoors.
  • kumitekg
    kumitekg Posts: 61
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    The whole point of air conditioning is to make the temperature more comfortable for us. You're suggesting that our bodies are trying to compensate for that in order to make us more comfortable... to combat the already-comfortable temperature?

    Without really getting into the debate one way or the other, I will tell you that the air conditionning in my office is FAR from comfortable and we have no control ourselves over the setting. The women here, myself included, spend all summer complaining to management because it is FREEZING. I work all day wearing a sweater and often having to drink more coffee or tea and rubbing my arms, etc. to get the circulation going. So, I actually DO feel like I am burning some energy trying to stay warm. If nothing else, the extra trips to the kitchen - and the washroom since more trips are added there due to the cold - has me burning more calories all by itself !
  • kumitekg
    kumitekg Posts: 61
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I think the obesity problem is more due to the fact that we eat more and move less.
  • _Timmeh_
    _Timmeh_ Posts: 2,096 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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.

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