Participants completed several stays in a metabolic chamber while temperature and food conditions changed. Researchers measured energy expenditure and, during free-eating visits, recorded 24-hour intake with an objective vending-machine system.
Energy eaten over 24 hours
At 19°C, participants consumed an average of 411 kcal more than they did at 23.5°C.
Metabolism did not explain the increase
Food intake rose, but the change was not associated with cold-induced changes in 24-hour energy expenditure.
The simple story—cold made the body burn more, so people replaced exactly that energy—was not supported here. Nineteen degrees is mild rather than extreme cold. Even so, room temperature may have influenced how much participants ate that day.
Before applying it at home
The 411 kcal figure is a group average from an unusual laboratory food environment, not a response shared by everyone.
Participants had a mean BMI of 32.4, and individual responses varied widely; some ate less in the colder condition. The trial does not show that changing a thermostat at home would reproduce the result. It also measured a single day, not a long seasonal shift.
Test your own pattern
Compare a few colder and warmer days, looking for shifts in hot dishes and snack times rather than calories alone.
How MorselFlow fits
A photo timeline can preserve seasonal changes in the meals you choose.
MorselFlow does not measure room temperature. It can still help you recall days when soups appeared more often or snacks moved later.
The record lets you ask whether weather, routine and meals move together without naming temperature as the cause.
This article explains research for a general audience. It is not diagnosis, treatment or individualized nutrition advice. Set indoor temperatures for safety, health and comfort.