Energy balance
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity in adults is negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage, and is absent or significantly reduced in obese and elderly populations.
If you are obese or older, your brown fat activity may be lower, making it harder to rely on cold exposure for weight loss. However, this doesn't mean you can't benefit from other aspects of energy expenditure. Focus on overall energy balance, as even small increases in expenditure can have long-term effects.
Mean BAT activity in obese subjects was significantly lower compared with the lean participants. Interestingly, BAT activity was significantly negatively related to body mass index and to percent body fat. Some studies indicate that older subjects seem to have less BAT activity.
Why this rating
Based on retrospective nuclear medicine studies and experimental cold exposure studies cited in the review.
Source
Implications of nonshivering thermogenesis for energy balance regulation in humans
Wouter D. van Marken Lichtenbelt et al. · American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology · 2011
DOI 10.1152/ajpregu.00652.2010
More from this paper
- Sustainable nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) in adult humans contributes significantly to energy expenditure, amounting to 15% of average daily energy expenditure and up to 5% of basal metabolic rate, primarily mediated by brown adipose tissue (BAT) and potentially skeletal muscle.Good
- Skeletal muscle contributes to facultative thermogenesis in humans through mitochondrial uncoupling, mediated by the thyroid hormone axis and sympathetic nervous system, potentially acting as a major contributor to resting energy expenditure alongside BAT.Moderate
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