Energy balance
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is prevalent in adult humans and its activity increases energy expenditure through cold-induced thermogenesis, providing a potential therapeutic target for obesity.
Adults retain brown fat, primarily in the neck and collarbone area, which burns calories to generate heat. While you cannot 'exercise' it directly, exposing yourself to cold (e.g., cold showers, cooler room temperatures) can activate this tissue, slightly increasing your daily energy expenditure. This is not a weight-loss cure-all, but it is a biological mechanism that exists in most adults, contrary to old beliefs.
BAT activity correlates positively with increment of energy expenditure during cold exposure and negatively with age, body mass index, and fasting glycemia, suggesting regulatory links between BAT, cold-induced thermogenesis, and energy metabolism.
Why this rating
Based on a comprehensive review of PET-CT studies, histological evidence, and animal models, though human intervention data is still emerging.
Source
Brown Adipose Tissue in Adult Humans: A Metabolic Renaissance
Paul C. Lee et al. · Endocrine Reviews · 2013
DOI 10.1210/er.2012-1081
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