| Keywords |
Body composition ; Climate adaptability ; Cold sensitivity ; Wear behavior ; Perceived body type |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of body composition (BC) on the climate adaptability characteristics of college students. One hundred college male and female students completed the questionnaire to examine their perceived body type, adaptability to either cold or warm climate, perceived health, and wear behavior to the cold. Their BC characteristics were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. We examined the gender differences in BC and the effects of BC difference on their climate adaptability. There were significant gender differences in BC. Males showed higher percent muscle mass and lower percent body fat than females. Females were more sensitive to the cold and showed wear behavior of higher insulation in the cold in spite of higher percent body fat than males. It might be because females had lower percent muscle mass than males, which would affect the cold climate adaptability. The correlation analysis between BC and climate adaptability showed that the students had more insulation in the cold when they had lower percent muscle mass and higher percent body fat. |