How a cooler home could help burn calories

sir – I am surprised that nobody has considered the possible correlation between child obesity and the temperature at which most modern homes are kept.

Central heating has no doubt prevented many deaths, particularly among the very young and elderly.

However, it is also true that people sitting for too long in a cold environment need to get up and move around to keep warm – and, in so doing, burn off calories.

I would suggest, then, that one

small way to tackle the obesity problem might be to recommend that householders lower their central heating thermostats and make sure that radiators are at a lower setting, particularly in bedrooms.

This might help encourage children to abandon their screens and engage in more physical activity, while also lowering their parents’ fuel bills.

Miranda Mccormick

London SW13

Japanese children dine in a traditional snow hut in the north-eastern city of Yokote