Living in an exciting social environment was found to reduce fat in mice's belly by half over four weeks, even if they ate more. US researchers say that social excitement aids weight loss by turning white fat into brown. White fat stores calories and makes us fatter, while brown burns energy to produce heat. Turning white fat into brown is extremely difficult, normally requiring long­term stay in cold conditions or exciting part of the body's nervous system.

　　However, scientists from Ohio State University now think that having a busy social life is an even more effective way of changing white fat into brown. The team came up with their theory by studying the effects of various living environments on mice. Those, who lived alongside a greater number of mice, had more space and toys to excite themselves and then lost far more weight over the course of the study than their “couch potato” fellows.

　　Study author, Dr Matthew During, whose team's findings appear in the journal Cell Metabolism, said, “I'm still amazed at the degree of fat loss that occurs.” Explaining how new technology had threatened face­to­face socializing, he added, “It's not just a sedentary (久坐的) lifestyle and high calorie foods, but an increasing lack of social activities.” Co­author Dr Lei Cao said, “Loneliness is a potential factor for cancer and death; it's equal to cigarette smoking to a certain extent. Social activities are very vital.”

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