Non-Shivering Thermogenesis: Understanding Brown Fat & Heat Production

Non-shivering thermogenesis refers to the production of body heat other than by shivering. Scientists have discovered that the body can metabolize brown fat to generate a significant amount of heat, according to the Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine.

Brown Fat

• Brown fat consists of tissue that ranges from dark red to tan in color, depending on how much fat it contains. Brown fat has a rich supply of blood as well as nerves, unlike white fat, according to Laura Austgen and R. Bowen, veterinarians at Colorado State University.

Infants

• Newborn animals have the greatest percentage of brown fat. Human babies have a body weight consisting of up to 5 per cent of brown fat to help keep them warm. This percentage decreases with age, according to Austgen and Bowen.

BMI and Brown Fat

• Brown fat in human adults is located mostly above the collar bone and in the lower neck. Research in this tissue has been active because its role in non-shivering thermogenesis may be important in maintaining a lower body mass index or BMI. High BMI or obesity has been associated with lower brown fat levels, according to Austgen and Bowen.