Non-invasive cooling wear as an effective means of reducing subcutaneous adipose tissue mass: an in-vivo study

OBJECTIVE: The increasing prevalence of obesity is a major health problem worldwide. Several non-surgical treatments are now available that reduce body and subcutaneous fat mass. We aimed to determine the efficacy of mild cold for body mass reduction. METHODS: Novel cooling wear, which induces mild cooling via evaporation, was worn by 29 women with overweight for 4 weeks. Specifically, the participants wore a cooling waist belt and chaps for 1 hour per day. Non-invasive lipometry was used to determine their subcutaneous adipose tissue thicknesses, and the total weight loss, abdominal circumference, and body mass index (BMI) of the participants were measured. RESULTS: The participants achieved a significant total weight loss of 0.7 kg (0.9%), and significant reductions in BMI (0.2 kg/m(2)) and abdominal circumference (1.9 cm, 1.7%). Furthermore, there was a trend towards a reduction in abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness and a significant reduction in thickness of the anterior thigh was noted. A questionnaire-based evaluation indicated high usability and comfort of the cooling wear. CONCLUSION: There is a high and growing demand for non-invasive treatment strategies for obesity. Cooling wear represents a novel and promising approach that may be of particular use for individuals who do not require bariatric surgery.