Energy intake and energy expenditure are minimally impacted by acute cold exposure in individuals living with obesity

Abstract

Context: Cold exposure (CE) has been purported to be a possible weight loss strategy and to be anorexigenic, however, the impacts of CE on appetite and energy intake have not been fully explored, more so in individuals living with obesity.

Objective: Determine the effects of a single dose of moderate CE on energy expenditure, intake, and appetite regulation in individuals living with obesity.

Design: Forty-seven individuals living with obesity (18 males) underwent two experimental sessions, one 90-min CE (10 °C fluid using a liquid conditioned suit) and one control. Energy expenditure (indirect calorimetry), energy intake (food menu), subjective appetite (Visual analogue scales), food reward (Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire), appetite-related peptides (ELISA), skin temperature (Thermocouples), thermal comfort and thermal sensation (Likert scales) were assessed.

Results: CE produced a small (18%) but significant increase in energy expenditure over 90 min (p < 0.001). Energy intake during lunch increased slightly (10%), yet significantly following CE (p = 0.008) before decreasing for the remainder of the day (p = 0.049). There were no differences in subjective appetite (p > 0.05), but there was a decrease in the rewarding value of low-fat sweet foods (p < 0.05). Leptin concentrations decreased significantly (p = 0.004), whereas GLP-1 concentrations were increased (p = 0.003) in response to CE. Thermal comfort and sensation also both decreased significantly during exposure (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Although both energy expenditure and intake significantly changed, CE caused minimal impacts to energy balance in individuals living with obesity. When combined with the high levels of discomfort, these results question the efficiency of CE as an intervention able to produce meaningful changes in body weight and composition in individuals living with obesity.