Simply put, Adipose Tissue is fat. The kind that jiggles, wiggles, and hangs over our belts. Too much fat increases your risk of various cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
In Hawaii, Native Hawaiians are 2.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as compared to the white population. But today’s influx of obesity isn’t only a Native Hawaiian problem. It’s just a problem that for decades researchers have tried to find ways to combat obesity and unnecessary fat gain.
The Department of Health:
Hawaii’s ethnic diversity also masks significant disparities in obesity that exist in our state with higher rates among native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander populations. While adult obesity in 2011 was 21.9 percent for the overall state, rates ranged from 6.8 percent among Chinese, to 20.6 percent among Filipinos, to 40.8 percent among Native Hawaiians.Not only is obesity in general increasing in Hawaii, but the proportion of adults who are morbidly or excessively obese in Hawaii is also increasing. In 2011, there were 30,000 morbidly obese adults in Hawaii—roughly 3 percent of the population.
So while studies have shown Hawaii as one of the fittest and healthiest states, they are not looking under the carpet where all the dirt really lies.
But I digress. This is not an article about the problem with the health of Native Hawaiians although this article could be useful information.
Before we clump fat all together, you must learn that there are two different types of fats: Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT), and White Adipose Tissue (WAT).
Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) – type of fat that can increase metabolic function in mammals.
White Adipose Tissue (WAT) – type of fat that stores energy and is the fat most people are aware of that people want to get rid of.
Time to get a little science-y.
The function of BAT is to transfer energy from food into heat. Also, according to the American Physiological Society, BAT is a unique organ found specifically in mammals. And yes, we are mammals.
On the flip-side WAT is a tissue that stores energy. Too much stored energy in the form of WAT is where part of the problem lies when dealing with obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
Now the overall reasons for unhealthy fat gain is caused by unhealthy diets and a sedentary lifestyle. So that should be a priority. But what if we could find ways to assist in the process by activating BAT to help reducing obesity in Hawaii, especially amongst Native Hawaiians.
This is a fairly new idea and research is still in its infancy but it should not be passed over. A study conducted by the Journal of Clinical Investigation examined the effects of repeated stimulation by cold and capsinoids (capsaicin) in healthy humans with low BAT activity.
The study found:
Acute cold exposure at 19°C for 2 hours increased energy expenditure (EE). Cold-induced increments of EE (CIT) strongly correlated with BAT activity independently of age and fat-free mass. Daily 2-hour cold exposure at 17°C for 6 weeks resulted in a parallel increase in BAT activity and CIT and a concomitant decrease in body fat mass. Changes in BAT activity and body fat mass were negatively correlated. Similarly, daily ingestion of capsinoids for 6 weeks increased CIT. These results demonstrate that human BAT can be recruited even in individuals with decreased BAT activity, thereby contributing to body fat reduction.
17°C in fahrenheit is about 62°, which by Hawaii standards is freezing cold. To start activating your BAT, there are a few ways you can start to help reduce your body fat.
- Eat spicy foods
- Ice baths and cold showers
- Ice pack on upper back/neck area for 20-30 minutes according to Tim Ferris
- Drinking ice cold water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and 30 minutes before your first meal.
As mentioned before, the study of BAT is still new and a lot still needs to me researched. Researching is currently learning a new way to increase our metabolic function using adipose tissue. With the obesity rate of Native Hawaiians continuously rising, it’s time to start looking at new ideas to spark a change.
Remember, priority should be to create healthy lifestyle behaviors that enhance your overall fitness, health, and well-being. What’s happening today, isn’t enough and there has to be more of an intervention.
