Research
Energy balance
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity, mediated by UCP1 and regulated by transcription factors like PGC-1a and PRDM16, increases energy expenditure and thermogenesis, which can mitigate obesity and improve insulin sensitivity.
Exposure to cold temperatures can activate brown adipose tissue (BAT), which burns energy as heat. This process is regulated by proteins like UCP1 and transcription factors like PGC-1a. While BAT activity varies by individual, maintaining a healthy weight and staying active may support its function.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Overexpression of UCP1 in WAT reduces weight gain in obesity-prone mice due in part to increased energy expenditure and decreased fatty acid synthesis.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies showing BAT presence in adults and its effects on metabolism.
Source
Mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity
Juan C. Bournat et al. · Current Opinion in Endocrinology Diabetes and Obesity · 2010
DOI 10.1097/med.0b013e32833c3026
narrative_reviewCited 476×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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