研究：寒冬开大暖气可瘦身

把暖气开大，电表要多读几个字，但这能让体重秤指针向左走几步。

一项新的研究显示，居住在温暖房间里的人比起那些整个冬天都冻得瑟瑟发抖的人肥胖的可能性更小，他们的体重指数（BMI）趋于较低水平。

苏格兰斯特灵大学的研究者们在长达13年的时间里，对10万多依赖中央暖气的成年人进行了研究，发现了较高气温和较低体脂比之间的直接联系。研究显示，不光是我们吃的东西和运动量决定了体重，家家户户的室温也可能对保持理想体重起决定作用。

研究人员认为，居住在一个较温暖室内环境下的人可能吃得更少，燃烧了更多脂肪。舒适的室温是在20.3-23摄氏度之间，这样的室温下人们穿着衣服不冷也不热，感觉很舒服。在此温度范围之上，人们会因消耗更多能量、食欲被压抑而吃得更少。

Scientists fear rising energy bills may lead to an increase in obesity after discovering a link between poorly-heated homes and higher body fat.

Researchers from the University of Stirling's Behavioural Science Centre set out to explore claims that warm indoor temperatures have contributed to rising obesity levels in winter.

Instead, the team found that people who live in well-heated homes are more likely to have low body mass index (BMI) levels while those who keep their heating turned down or off tend to be heavier.

Dr Michael Daly, behavioural scientist and senior lecturer, said: "We set out to investigate the scientific claims that cooler indoor temperatures help us maintain a healthy weight by pushing our bodies to expend more energy through shivering and generating heat through tissues.

"In fact, the research suggests people may eat less and burn more energy when residing in a warmer indoor environment."

The 13-year study, published in the journal Obesity, involved more than 100,000 adults across England.

Researchers found reduced weight levels among people living in homes heated to above 23C (73F), which accounted for about 15,000 of the households studied.

Dr Daly said: "As national gas bills continue to rise faster than the rate of inflation, this research suggests the obesity epidemic could worsen where heating is turned down below comfortable levels or off for lengthy periods to cut costs.

"This is not just about people who live in well-heated homes being in the financial position to afford more expensive low-calorie foods, exercise classes and sporting activities, and therefore finding it easier to maintain a low BMI level. The study took age, gender, social class and other factors into account.

"The comfortable ambient temperature of 20.3-23C is where we feel comfortable in our clothes and are neither hot nor cold. At temperatures above this, we expend more energy and we eat less because our appetite is suppressed."