The month you are born influences how your body stores fat, study finds
Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Does the month you are born in have anything to do with BMI?
- A new study reveals that people conceived in colder months tend to have a lower body mass index (BMI) and less internal fat than those conceived in warmer months.
- The research, published in Nature Metabolism, suggests that weather conditions during conception may influence a person's physiology throughout their life.
- Brown adipose tissue, which generates heat, is more active in individuals conceived during colder seasons, leading to higher energy expenditure and lower fat storage.
- This association between conception season and brown adipose tissue activity is primarily attributed to lower outdoor temperatures and greater daily temperature fluctuations during the fertilization period.
- Further research with diverse populations is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms and the influence of diet and other environmental factors.