title: Evidence of a diurnal thermogenic handicap in obesity.
abstract: A thermogenic handicap has been proposed as potential contributor to weight gain in obese subjects but results from clinical studies are inconclusive. We tested whether diurnal and nocturnal body core temperature (BcT) measured for 20-h differed in nine obese subjects compared with 12 lean healthy controls when studied at rest under strictly controlled conditions. BcT was significantly reduced (∼0.35 °C) in obese subjects only during diurnal hours while during nocturnal hours BcT pattern was identical in the two groups. Our preliminary data indicate that obesity is associated with a diurnal thermogenic handicap which could play a role in favoring weight gain by lowering whole-body energy expenditure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Clinica Neurologica, University of Bologna - Alma Mater Studiorum , Bologna , Italy .
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Provini
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pierangeli
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mazzella
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zamboni
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchesini
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cortelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001831:Body Temperature; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012146:Rest; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: Obesity; body core temperature; energy expenditure; resting metabolic rate; thermogenesis