Melbourne researchers claim the way to achieve weight loss results is to trick the body into burning more kilojoules, and they believe the extreme cold can help.
"There's evidence that if you put humans at a substantially lower temperature for extended periods of time you can create substantially more brown fat," as stated by Professor Brian Oldfield. Regular white fat stores kilojoules, but the body contains small amounts of brown fat, which helps to burn them.
People usually hold up to 70 grams of brown fat in their necks and shoulders. Scientists are working on ways to boost our brown fat levels to help burn more kilojoules. Researchers have successfully tested the theory on rats, finding the cold stimulated the process of darkening their white "Fat Cells."
At this stage there is more research to be done and scientists will not say whether this is the silver bullet needed to solve the "Obesity Crisis." "It is important to keep focusing on the same education that has always been promoted. Which is to make sure you're getting plenty of physical activity and follow a healthy diet," as stated by Melanie McGrice from the Dietitians Association.
Recent study shows that "Obesity" in childhood and adolescence is associated with a number of health risks, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. For the new study, researchers are looking at how excess weight may affect bone structure.
"While obesity was previously believed to be protective of bone health, recent studies have shown a higher incidence of forearm fractures in obese youths," as stated by Dr. Miriam A. Bredella, radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
With 63 percent of Australians overweight or obese, it is hoped that the discovery can be used to create drugs to assist with the new technique of weight loss.
