Do Fat People Stay Warmer in Cold Weather Than Thin People? | The Weather Channel (2024)

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Do Fat People Stay Warmer in Cold Weather Than Thin People? | The Weather Channel? ›

Smaller, thinner, people have a large surface area relative to their body mass compared with bigger, more thickset people. This means that they lose heat and feel the cold more easily than those who are chubbier. It's particularly important to remember this when you're out in cold weather with small children.

According to Popular Science, studies done on both cold-water swimmers and hospital patients have shown that people with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) are less susceptible to hypothermia because fat insulates the body's core.

Some people (often very thin women) do not tolerate cold temperatures because they have very little body fat to help keep them warm.

Fatness was linked to lower heat loss, lower heat production, higher core temperature, lower heat debt, and higher tissue insulation [3].

The Bergmann's Rule and Allen's Rule suggest that populations living in colder climates tend to have larger body masses and shorter limbs to minimize heat loss, while those in warmer climates have slimmer bodies and longer limbs to facilitate heat dissipation.

Research has confirmed that being outdoors in the cold can transform white fat into calorie-burning brown fat.

Benefits of Adipose Tissue

Insulation: Adipose tissue helps to insulate your body. This heat insulation keeps your body warm when you are exposed to cold temperatures. 5. Protection: Adipose tissue cushions and protects your organs, bones, and other tissues from damage.

Thin people's subcutaneous layer lacks adipose tissue, but fat people's subcutaneous layer contains adipose tissue, which functions as an insulator and keeps the body warm. As a result, thin people feel colder than fat people.

Muscle activity generates heat, and fat acts as insulation. If you have lost significant weight recently or have always been thin, you might be more sensitive to colder temperatures. Skipping meals. Some people get cold when they miss meals or consume too few calories.

If a person does not get enough energy from their diet to maintain a healthy body weight, they may also not be getting enough nutrients to fight off infections. As a result, a person may get sick more frequently, and common illnesses, such as a cold, can last longer than they usually would.

Does belly fat keep you warm? ›

The biological process of metabolism, fueled by eating fat, or any other type of food for that matter, may make you feel warmer. However, simply consuming fat or having more fat on your body hasn't been shown to improve insulation in cold weather.

The more obese you are, the less skin surface you have for each pound of body weight. The result: less cooling power.

Mark Brumm, M.D., Family Medicine in Mayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare says, “There is some evidence that a small amount of subcutaneous (between skin and muscle) fat may reduce the amount of heat you lose, but it is not enough to keep you warmer.

Humans with obesity cool less rapidly and have to elevate their metabolism less significantly than lean individuals when immersed in water. Although obesity provides an advantage in cold conditions it conversely impedes heat loss and makes obese people susceptible to heat stress more than lean individuals.

Heat can reduce appetite

As a result, you may feel less hungry in hot weather. Additionally, it has been observed that food digestion slows down in hotter temperatures, which can make you feel fuller for longer. This is good news if you struggle with overeating and weight control.

A person with a significant amount of lean body mass (particularly muscle) has an advantage in the cold. Muscle generates a lot of heat, provides thermal insulation and contributes to a high rate of metabolism at rest.

Overall, our results suggest that the increase body area of obese subjects does not influence significantly their temperature.

Brown fat breaks down blood sugar (glucose) and fat molecules to create heat and help maintain body temperature. Cold temperatures activate brown fat, which leads to various metabolic changes in the body. Most of our fat, however, is white fat, which stores extra energy.

The swing from summer to fall and soon, winter, can make some people vulnerable to gaining weight, experts say. The colder months can lead to people getting less physical activity and instead staying inside with high-sugar comfort foods.

This is normal. The hormonal changes can affect your body temperature. Also, people who have high blood pressure due to being overweight tend to feel warmer than they would with a normal blood pressure. When their blood pressure lowers as a result of their change in eating habits and weight loss they may feel colder.