Scientists make disturbing discovery: 'Climate change is making us fat'

It's common knowledge that climate change is causing sea level rise and more extreme weather events. But what many people don't realize is that climate change can also affect our weight. Yet, this is precisely what researchers from Cardiff University in Wales claim.

One of the most well-known consequences of climate change is that it's getting warmer. Summer will arrive earlier and earlier, and with it, more extreme weather. For example, we'll experience more snow and hail , but also heat and drought. And the latter will affect our eating habits, according to a new study published in Nature Climate Change.

Researchers have found that the warmer it gets, the more people tend to eat sugary foods like soda , juice, and frozen desserts. Warm weather makes us sweat faster and requires us to drink more to stay hydrated. Many people don't reach for water to stay hydrated, but rather for unhealthy, sugary alternatives.

For the study, the scientists collected purchase data from American households from 2004 to 2019. They compared the amount of sugar in groceries with local weather conditions, such as temperature, wind speed, and humidity. The scientists discovered a strong correlation between daily temperature and sugar intake. Between 12 and 30 degrees Celsius, people consumed 0.7 grams more sugar per day for every degree warmer. This means that people eat more sugar at 25 degrees Celsius than at 12 degrees Celsius.

According to lead researcher Dr. Pan He, there are two reasons for this. "First, higher temperatures boost metabolism, leading to a higher need for hydration. If someone is used to drinking sugary drinks to hydrate, this could eventually become a problem. Second, people may start using frozen foods and drinks to cool down physically, and many of these products, such as frozen yogurt and ice cream, contain added sugars." If global warming continues, Dr. Pan He and her co-authors predict that the average American could consume 2.99 more grams of sugar per day by 2095.