One of the most recent scientific theories is that living with the central heating system on full blast and double-glazed windows and doors is making us fat. And, if we want to lose weight, it’s apparently no more complicated than opening a window!

According to a recent study, we are led to believe that the British are so used to bundling up at home that they no longer feel the need to use the same energy levels as previous generations to protect themselves from the cold. As a result, we tend to gain weight. This, when added to the time we now tend to spend indoors, whether working from home or shopping online (as opposed to going out), can be creating quite a problem. If the body is hot, it does not need to produce its own energy and may therefore lose some of its ability to produce heat.

In fact, even when we do venture out, it usually tends to be in overheated cars or public transport, to heated shopping malls and office blocks, exacerbating the problem. The University College London research team say there is now an identifiable link between reduced seasonal cold exposure and increased obesity.

A spokesperson commented: “When the body is cold, it produces brown fat, known as adipose tissue, which burns energy to produce heat. The reduction in the time our bodies spend under mild heat stress means we are burning less energy. This could affect our energy balance and ultimately affect our body weight, leading to obesity.”