Heatwaves can cause men to gain weight, according to a new study. It revealed that UV sunlight triggers “ food -seeking behaviour and food intake” in men, but not women.
The study, published on Monday, tracked the habits of 3,000 people over one year, between 1999 and 2001. Researchers at Tel Aviv University, Israel, found that of those studied and exposed to UV light, only the men saw an increase in the number of calories they consumed and how frequently. The women were not affected in the same way.
The cause of this change in eating habits in men was said to be due to the production of a hunger hormone, ghrelin, which was released when UVB light on the skin activated the p53 gene. The same effect was found in male mice.
