Keeping warm in the cold : human brown adipose tissue upon cold acclimation

This dissertation studied the effects of cold acclimation on slim and overweight/obese test subjects. Cold acclimation induced an increase in the production of brown adipose tissue. After stimulation, brown adipose tissue induced the conversion of glucose and fats into extra heat. Cold acclimation also increased energy expenditure without shivering. A significant relation was found between brown adipose tissue activity and energy expenditure without shivering. Furthermore, slim test subjects were found to grow accustomed to cold. Regular exposure to cold can, therefore, serve as a means of increasing energy expenditure, which may have favourable effects on weight maintenance.