Food isn't the only thing that makes you fat

Researchers in Italy have discovered all kinds of everyday things that are associated with becoming obese – and it’s not just snacking on chips and sitting on the sofa all day. Becoming fat could also be related to indoor temperature and sleep deprivation.

Dr. Simona Bo and researchers at the University of Turin in Italy followed 1300 middle aged people for six years. During that time, a little less than 10% became obese. The researchers looked at all the common environmental factors among those people to determine variables for becoming fat.

Sleep habits made the list. For each hour of sleep, the odds of becoming obese are reduced by 30%, and that’s adjusted for other lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. It could be that hormone levels for sleep deprived people affect their weight. Researchers also speculate that tired people eat and drink more in an effort to wake up.

Indoor temperature also ranked. For those who kept their thermostats above 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, they were twice as likely to be obese. The reason for that is because the body has to work harder to maintain an internal temperature if the outside temp is cold, or even too warm.

And restaurants factored. The more restaurant dining is enjoyed, the greater the weight, probably because the ingredients and fat/sodium/sugar contents are blissfully unknown. People like to treat themselves when they go out.

“It is plausible that if you turn down your thermostat in the winter, or use less air conditioning in the summer, you’ll lose weight,” Allison told Reuters Health. “And you’ll almost certainly reduce your energy bills.” Maybe by enough to get a gym membership.

Source: International Journal of Obesity, Reuters