The plot thickens yet again:
To maximize your chances of fighting flab, new research offers some simple advice: Wake up early and go outside.
People who loaded up on light exposure at the beginning of the day were most likely to have a lower body mass index, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE. That relationship between morning light and BMI was independent of how many calories the study participants consumed.
It may sound crazy, but there is sound scientific evidence to back up the link. Circadian rhythm plays an important role in regulating metabolism, and studies have shown that exposure to morning light can influence body fat and the hormones that regulate appetite.
In one study, for instance, sleep-deprived subjects whose levels of the hormones leptin and ghrelin were out of whack saw those levels improve after being exposed to light for two hours after waking up. In another study, obese women who were exposed to bright light for at least 45 minutes between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. dropped some of their body fat after three weeks. And studies in animals have found that altering light exposure changed their metabolism, resulting in weight gain even when the animals consumed the same amount of calories as before.
….When the researchers analyzed the data, they found only one variable that correlated to BMI: MLiT. That stands for “mean light timing above threshold,” and it’s a measurement that takes into account the timing, length and brightness of each volunteer’s light exposure.
Translating that into practical terms, the researchers said the key was to bask in light of at least 500 lux, and that such basking was most valuable when the exposure came early in the day. For every hour that light exposure was delayed, BMI rose by 1.28 points.
The complete mathematical model took into account demographic factors like age and gender; the amount of sleep and exercise volunteers got; and the season of the year. But of all these variables, MLiT did the best job of predicting a person’s BMI.
Full report: http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-early-morning-light-exposure-weight-gain-20140402,0,5265290.story