The findings of a study published today (12th November 2013) indicate that the lower level of brown adipose tissue (BAT, or 'brown fat') found in south Asians—who make up a fifth of the world's population— could help explain why they have an exceptionally high susceptibility to developing metabolic problems such as obesity and type II diabetes.
BAT has been shown to have beneficial effects on glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism, and body weight in pre-clinical studies. Unlike white fat cells, which in-part store the body's surplus energy as fat, brown fat cells in BAT can convert some of this energy into large amounts of heat, thus dissipating the energy surplus rather than storing it. Estimates suggest that fully activated BAT can contribute up to 20% of total energy expenditure; for the average female in the UK that would be equivalent to approximately 300 Kcal worth of fat per day. To put this in perspective this is the same amount of fat that would be used during a higher intensity aerobic class lasting 90-120 minutes (1 ½ - 2 hours).
Previous studies have shown that BAT activity is reduced in obese adults, thereby limiting this route of energy expenditure.
In this study, researchers from the Netherlands compared resting energy expenditure and BAT volume and activity in 12 healthy lean south Asian men (aged about 25 years) and 12 matched white Caucasian men after exposure to cold using PET and CT scans – all subjects were Dutch nationals. The effect of cold exposure on non-shivering thermogenesis and plasma lipid levels was also measured.
The results demonstrated a noticeable difference in resting energy expenditure (REE). The REE was markedly lower (-32%) in south Asian participants than in Caucasians, as was the volume of metabolically active BAT (-34%).
The researchers concluded that the lower resting energy expenditure, non-shivering thermogenesis, and BAT volumes in south Asian populations might underlie their high susceptibility to metabolic disturbances, such as obesity and type II diabetes. The researchers further suggested that development of strategies to increase BAT volume and activity might help prevent and treat these disorders.
In the HPC-UK Lean for Life program, increasing the amount and activity of BAT is one of our primary aims. It requires a few steps to create the specific environment to stimulate BAT production and activity, but once it’s set up, it is very easy to maintain a low body-fat body with very little effort and remain that way for life without the deprivation or unnecessary amounts of exercise called for by more common approaches.
www.hpc-uk.net
Reference:
Leontine E H Bakker MD et al. Brown adipose tissue volume in healthy lean south Asian adults compared with white Caucasians: a prospective, case-controlled observational study. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology - 12 November 2013 DOI: 10.1016/
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