SCIENTISTS have long disregarded astrology as ‘pseudoscience'.
It assumes certain aspects of your can be determined by your ‘sign' – the day and month you are .
But new research suggests the month you are born may have more to do with your health than you might think
People born in September, October and November are more likely to be and have less fat around their organs compared to those born in April and May, a new study reveals.
Scientists in Japan have discovered that people conceived in colder months have more – the special type that burns calories to keep you warm.
This means higher energy use, lower body mass index (BMI), and less dangerous fat around internal organs.
Since the coldest months are usually December, January and February, it’s people born in September, October and November who are most likely to benefit from this advantage.
On the flip side, July and August – the warmest months – line up with birthdays in April and May, when this fat-burning edge is less likely.
The study, by researchers at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, suggests that weather and atmosphere at the time of conception can influence your long-term health.
Previous studies have linked the time of year people are born to their overall health.
One piece of research, published in Elsevier in 2015 found those born in summer are more likely to be heavier at and taller as adults than those born in the cooler months.
The new study, published in Nature Metabolism this month, looked at 622 men and women between the ages of three and 78.
They were grouped based on whether they were conceived in cooler months – between October 17 and April 15 – or warmer ones, from April 16 to October 16.
Those created in the colder period showed higher brown fat activity, which the researchers linked to better thermogenesis (your body’s ability to generate heat by burning calories), lower BMI, and less visceral fat.
Crucially, parents who were exposed to greater temperature swings and lower averages just before conception seemed to pass this benefit on.
The team said brown fat activity appears to be “preprogrammed” by exposure to cold before – and interestingly, it may be dad’s exposure that’s key.
Earlier research hinted that cold weather can leave a kind of molecular “imprint” on sperm, which influences the embryo’s metabolism and ability to handle colder climates.
Commenting on the study Raffaele Teperino, from the German Research Center for Environmental Health, said: “Parental health during conception and gestation can affect offspring development and health.
“A study in humans now shows that adult individuals who were conceived during cold seasons exhibit greater brown adipose tissue activity, increased energy expenditure, lower body mass index and lower visceral fat accumulation
“The new findings emphasise once more the critical role of the preconception environment in shaping offspring metabolism and offer perspectives for understanding the co-existence of two global health challenges – obesity and warming.”
Obesity rates rising
It comes as obesity rates are expected to soar in the UK by 2050.
Scientists predict that without urgent action, six in ten adults and a third of youngsters worldwide will be in 25 years.
In the UK, the total will rocket to 49million from 38.4million in 2021, sparking fears of increased pressure on hospitals and medical facilities.
and that is projected to increase considerably as more cases need to be treated.
