Is Your Warm Home Making You Gain Weight?

Is your apartment or office building uncomfortably warm in the winter months? If you live in the city, this isn’t an unusual occurrence as we often can’t regulate heat. Not only does this make choosing a wardrobe difficult for city girls (hot inside – freezing outside), but a new study shows these warm temperatures may contribute towards weight gain. Yikes! Read on to learn why and what you can do about it.

So I was sitting in my office reading my email and an article on how warm homes may contribute towards obesity caught my eye. As I was reading it, I realized that I was literally sweating. I checked my office temp, and it was 80 degrees! I work in a room with 5 other nutritionists … we are always complaining about the temperature control issues. I have gotten used to wearing sleeveless shirts and dresses to work. No boots and sweaters for me in the winter months. The same goes for my apartment – shorts and tank tops. I always have the a/c on or at least open the window, even when it’s 15 degrees outside. Hmmm… will I find myself a few pounds heavier in the spring?  (this pic is of the thermostat in my office)

What is the connection between heat and weight?
When you are in colder environment, your body needs to increase energy expenditure to stay warm. The higher the temperature, the fewer calories we burn off. This makes sense to me! When I go home to Massachusetts, my dad likes to keep the temps quite low … and I end up shivering a lot. (no wonder why he so thin!)

The Research
Higher indoor temperatures during the winter may be contributing to rising rates of obesity in the United States and other developed countries, according to a new British study. Researchers have found that winter indoor temps have increased over the past few decades. “Increased time spent indoors, widespread access to central heating and air conditioning, and increased expectations of thermal comfort all contribute to restricting the range of temperatures we experience in daily life and reduce the time our bodies spend under mild thermal stress — meaning we’re burning less energy. This could have an impact on energy balance, and ultimately have an impact on body weight and obesity,” study author Fiona Johnson, a researcher in the department of epidemiology and public health at University College London, said in a UCL news release.   We know that diet and exercise play major roles in weight. But this new research suggests that it’s possible that other environmental factors, such as winter indoor temperatures, may also have a contributing role.

The study appears in the current issue of the journal Obesity Reviews   

Tips to prevent heat related weight gain
1. Keep the thermostat lower. This is a win-win situation as you’ll also save money on heating bills. My dad in Massachusetts will love this one!    (pic:  skrewtips.com)

2. If you can’t regulate the heat, open the window (ok – common sense on that one)

3. Get outside and take walks.  A little cold weather is good for you. Walk to work if possible – obviously not if there is black ice.  Take a brisk winter walk in the middle of the day.

4. Be more active in your apartment. Do exercises while watching tv. Walk a couple flights of stairs in the hallway. Try to burn an extra 50-70 calories doing something.

5. At least add an 10 minutes of cardio at the gym to burn off more calories to compensate for this potential heat weight gain.

Bottom line – it’s common to experience winter weight gain for several reasons (more on this in a later post). But at least be aware of the potential of “warm apartment syndrome” and try to compensate for it by increasing activities in other ways.