Exercise or being exposed to low temperatures creates more 'good' brown and beige types of body fat which burns calories in the body.

 

Previous research has found being cold mimics¹ the effects of exercise, protecting against obesity² and improving metabolic³ health.

 

Now, a new study has discovered how exposure to cold dramatically alters the composition of bacteria the gut⁴, and this leads to fat-burning, improved glucose⁵ metabolism⁶, and reduced body weight.

 

The findings could provide new treatments for overweight or obese⁷ people, researchers said.

 

Professor Mirko Trajkovski of the University of Geneva said: 'We provide compelling evidence that gut microbes play a key role in our ability to adapt to the environment by directly regulating our energy balance.

 

'We are excited about exploring the therapeutic⁸ potential of these findings and testing whether targeting some of these microbes could be a promising⁹ approach for preventing obesity and related metabolic conditions.'

 

While ordinary white fat- known as 'bad' fat - piles on when we eat more calories than we burn, brown fat seems to burn excess calories to generate heat.

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