THE TOLERANCE OF MAN TO COLD AS AFFECTED BY DIETARY MODIFICATION: CARBOHYDRATE VERSUS FAT AND THE EFFECT OF THE FREQUENCY OF MEALS

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Abstract
The effect of a high-fat diet versus a high-carbohydrate diet and the effect of the frequency of meals on the tolerance to cold (8 hours at [long dash]20[degree]F.) of 10 young healthy men were studied. The high-fat diet induced a mild degree of ketonuria but no evidence of hemolysis was noted in blood samples taken under basal conditions. No significant diet difference could be demonstrated with regard to cooling of the internal tissues and surface of the body except by decreasing the interval between meals. When the interval between meals is decreased, a definitely favorable effect in maintaining tissue temperature is apparent if the meals are largely fat in character. This effect seems to be related to heat emission rather than to heat production. It is highly probable that a high-fat diet is superior to a high-carbohydrate diet in maintaining general psychomotor performance and visual efficiency. Decreasing the interval between meals markedly increases their favorable effect on the maintenance of psychomotor functioning, but obliterates entirely the differential effects produced by diets.

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