Air Conditioning & Obesity

2

Replies

  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    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
    Addictead Posts: 66 Member
    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
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    Simple answer.... GO OUTSIDE!
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
    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
    TangledThread Posts: 312 Member
    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
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    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
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    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
    paperpudding Posts: 8,967 Member
    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
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,482 Member
    edited July 2019
    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
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  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,379 Member
    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 :D
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,967 Member
    Thats not my experience yirara - we are forever having arguments at work about what temp to set the air con - and there are several women who want it colder than the rest of us.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    Thats not my experience yirara - we are forever having arguments at work about what temp to set the air con - and there are several women who want it colder than the rest of us.

    This. I love the bedroom to be really cold at night. Even here in Canada, the window is cracked open in the dead of winter. My husband has been known to remark, "Holy hell, you could hang meat in here!" To which I reply, "Yeah, isn't it great?"

    Menopause was fun at our house, too. :D

    Just the opposite at my house. My wife wants all the blankets even if it's 80f in the room. I'm kicking off blankets in the middle of winter lol.

    Menopause...well.... :# lol
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,379 Member
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    Thats not my experience yirara - we are forever having arguments at work about what temp to set the air con - and there are several women who want it colder than the rest of us.

    This. I love the bedroom to be really cold at night. Even here in Canada, the window is cracked open in the dead of winter. My husband has been known to remark, "Holy hell, you could hang meat in here!" To which I reply, "Yeah, isn't it great?"

    Menopause was fun at our house, too. :D

    Oh I like a cool bedroom! But sitting in a cool room is not for me.

    My answer above that women on average have a higher feel comfortable temperature is also reflected in camping gear. Good quality stuff has a comfort temperature for women (higher) and men (lower). Cheaper stuff only has one temperature, and there's usually a note that it's based on the higher temperature requirements of women.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,967 Member
    Well, that may be camping manufactures generalisation - but again isn't my experience of people around me.

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,379 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    Well, that may be camping manufactures generalisation - but again isn't my experience of people around me.

    Like I said: On average. I'm sure there's an explanation to this, but this is just a short comment, but might be worth doing more searching for proper scientific articles:
    https://www.theguardian.com/science/shortcuts/2017/oct/11/why-women-sewcretly-turn-up-the-heating

    Basically, men have on average more muscle mass and generate more heat. At the same time, estrogen causes the blood to thicken slightly and hence blood flow to the capillaries is more reduced. Cold hand and feet = colder legs and arms and a perceived feeling of being colder.
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    It isn't typical to have AC in the UK, especially rare in the home (we rarely have the high extremes other countries get, although the way you hear some people complain about the heat you wouldn't believe it) and we still get obese - more so in the last few decades.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,935 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    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.

    Ooo! Ooo!

    Stop eating. Do the water fast until the A/C is back on.

    Start writing your treatise about the "Miracle Energy-Management Weight Loss Method". Keep records of your no-AC (really no-food) weight loss, and include them in the treatise.

    When it's comfy at your house again, create a click-bait web site to sell your method (big headlines about weight loss, stolen before and after pictures, all the normal stuff, plus the usual tiny little footnote disclaimer about "results not guaranteed; results require following program precisely, including recommended diet and exercise program".

    Get rich!

    (One never knows what will be obvious to the casual reader, so: The above is just a joke. A JOKE. ;););) ).
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
    I doubt it. In the UK we rarely have air con but have horrible humidity. We getting just as fat as americans now, including me.

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