Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
Obes Rev. 2011 Jul;12(7):543-51. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00851.x. Epub 2011 Jan 24.
Domestic winter indoor temperatures in the USA, UK and other developed countries appear to be following an upwards trend. This review examines evidence of a causal link between thermal exposures and increases in obesity prevalence, focusing on acute and longer-term biological effects of time spent in thermal comfort compared with mild cold. Reduced exposure to seasonal cold may have a dual effect on energy expenditure, both minimizing the need for physiological thermogenesis and reducing thermogenic capacity. Experimental studies show a graded association between acute mild cold and human energy expenditure over the range of temperatures relevant to indoor heating trends. Meanwhile, recent studies of the role of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in human thermogenesis suggest that increased time spent in conditions of thermal comfort can lead to a loss of BAT and reduced thermogenic capacity. Pathways linking cold exposure and adiposity have not been directly tested in humans. Research in naturalistic and experimental settings is needed to establish effects of changes in thermal exposures on weight, which may raise possibilities for novel public health strategies to address obesity.
美国、英国和其他发达国家的国内冬季室内温度似乎呈上升趋势。本综述考察了热暴露与肥胖患病率增加之间存在因果关系的证据，重点关注与轻度寒冷相比，在热舒适环境中度过时间的急性和长期生物学影响。季节性寒冷暴露的减少可能对能量消耗产生双重影响，既最大限度地减少了生理产热的需求，又降低了产热能力。实验研究表明，在与室内供暖趋势相关的温度范围内，急性轻度寒冷与人体能量消耗之间存在分级关联。与此同时，最近关于棕色脂肪组织（BAT）在人体产热中的作用的研究表明，在热舒适条件下度过的时间增加会导致 BAT 丧失和产热能力降低。寒冷暴露和肥胖之间的联系途径尚未在人类中得到直接测试。需要在自然和实验环境中进行研究，以确定热暴露变化对体重的影响，这可能为解决肥胖问题的新公共卫生策略提供可能性。
