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Cited by 134Thermoregulation and physiological responsesAdipose Tissue and MetabolismCardiovascular and exercise physiology

Roles of subcutaneous fat and thermoregulatory reflexes in determining ability to stabilize body temperature in water.

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Hayward, M G, Keatinge, W R·1981·The Journal of Physiology
DOI 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013946PMC PMC1244044
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Abstract

1. The lowest water temperature in which different young adults could stabilize body temperature was found to vary from 32 degrees C to less than 12 degrees C, because of large differences in both total body insulation and metabolic heat production. 2. Total body insulation per unit surface area, in the coldest water allowing stability, was quite closely determined by mean subcutaneous fat thickness measured ultrasonically (r = 0.92), regardless of differences in distribution of this fat between men and women. 3. Reactive individuals developed high metabolic rates, and often rather high insulations in relation to fat thickness, which enabled them to stabilize their body temperatures in water more than 10 degrees C colder than was possible for less reactive individuals of similar fat thickness. 4. Measurements of heat flux, after stabilization in the coldest water possible, showed that the trunk was the main site of heat loss and that over half of the internal insulation there could be accounted for by subcutaneous fat; by contrast, fat could account for less than a third of higher insulations found in muscular parts of the limbs, and for less than 3% of very high insulations in the hands and feet. 5. After stabilization of body temperature at rest in the coldest possible water, exercise reduced internal insulation only in muscular parts of the limbs. Exercise also increased heat loss elsewhere by exposing skin of protected regions such as flexural surfaces of joints. During exercise total heat production increased rather more than heat loss in unreactive subjects, but less than loss in subjects whose heat production had already risen to a high level when they were at rest in cold water. 6. In warm (37 degrees C) water, tissue insulations were lower and much more uniform between subjects and between different body regions than in the cold. Even in the warm, however, insulations remained rather higher in fat than thin subjects, higher at rest than during exercise, and usually higher in the limbs than the upper trunk.

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Crossref · 10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013946

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Golenhofen K. Das Reaktionsmuster der menschlichen Muskulatur im Rahmen der Thermoregulation. Pflugers Arch Gesamte Physiol Menschen Tiere. 1965 Aug 6;285(2):124–146. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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Authors
Hayward, M. G., & Keatinge, W. R.
Venue
The Journal of Physiology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
1981-11
Volume
320
Issue
1
Pages
229-251
ISSN
  • 0022-3751 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-7793
DOI
10.1113/jphysiol.1981.sp013946
PMC
PMC1244044
OpenAlex
W2026429504
Cited by
134
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 1
FWCI
1.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • The Journal of Physiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
Keywords
subcutaneous adipose tissue, thermoregulation, cold water immersion, body insulation, metabolic heat production, heat loss, exercise thermoregulation, sex differences, body fat distribution
MeSH terms
Adipose Tissue, Adolescent, Adult, Body Temperature Regulation, Cold Temperature, Physical Exertion, Female, Hot Temperature, Humans, Immersion, Male, Metabolism, Sex Factors, Skinfold Thickness

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