"棕色脂肪是南亞人糖尿病風險的關鍵"

南亞人比白人有新陳代謝方面困擾的風險較高，像是第二型糖尿病。新研究指出缺乏棕色脂肪（以棕色脂肪組織一名為人所知）可能是原因。南亞人跟白人相比，得第二型糖尿病和得該疾病的相關併發症的風險較高，並且在較年輕時就罹患第一型糖尿病或是以更低的BMI就得糖尿病。

臨床前試驗已經顯示了棕色脂肪「對於葡萄糖耐受、脂質的新陳代謝還有體重都有益」，而棕色脂肪在肥胖的成年人身上會減少活性。棕色脂肪組織會在體溫低時將能量轉換成熱能、燃燒脂肪，而白色脂肪組織儲存額外的能量為備用糧品。

受試者顯示南亞受試者的靜態能量消耗值比白人受試者少32%，活躍的BAT則低了34%。南亞人由冷引發的非顫動熱能也比較低（一般新陳代謝程序的產熱）。

英國諾丁漢大學的麥可塞蒙斯說南亞人「是干預治療的理想目標，干預治療或許可以提供概念驗證，證實增加棕色脂肪組織的量或是作用對打擊新陳代謝疾病有長遠的良好影響。」。

(Health) Brown Fat Key to South Asians Diabetes Risk

South Asians have a higher risk of developing metabolic problems, such as type 2 diabetes, than Caucasians, and new research indicates that a lack of brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue (BAT), may be the reason. South Asians have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and complications related to the disease, and develop type 1 diabetes at a much younger age and a much lower BMI than Caucasians.

Pre-clinical studies have shown that brown fat has, beneficial effects on glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism and body weight, and that brown fat activity is reduced in adults who are obese. BAT convert energy into heat when the body is cold, burning it up, whereas white fat cells store excess energy for food.

Study participants showed that resting energy exposure in South Asian participants was 32% less than Caucasian counterparts, and metabolically active BAT 34% lower. South Asians also had a lower cold-induced non-shivering thermogenesis (heat production caused by normal metabolic processes).

Michael Symonds, of the University of Nottingham in the UK, stated that South Asians are an, ideal target for therapeutic interventions that might offer proof-of-principle that enhanced BAT volume or function can have long-term health benefits against metabolic disease.

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