How to Select Meals in the Summer Season? A Practical Guide to the Summer Diet

Certain studies suggest that exposure to high temperatures might impact the regulation of appetite, however, the mechanisms remain not fully elucidated. An example is the observation of soldiers conducting physical exercises under different thermal conditions. They noted a decrease in the level of ghrelin (a hormone that strongly stimulates appetite) and an increase in concentration of YY peptide (responsible for satiety signaling). However, it should be emphasized that these hormonal changes might have been a result not only of high-temperature activity but also of intense physical exertion and the preferential adaptation of other environmental factors to the heat. The authors of the mentioned study underscored that the increase in PYY levels was not unequivocally related to the surrounding temperature (I. Mandic et al. 2019). These results should be treated as an interesting hypothesis that may partially explain observed changes in appetite during heatwaves, but this requires further, more detailed analysis. Similar conclusions emerge from other studies that did not show a significant influence of high temperature on total energy intake, subjective feelings of hunger, or appetite. However, a noticeable change in dietary preferences was observed – in hot days, cool, light meals are chosen more frequently, and hot, fatty dishes are chosen less often. These types of reactions constitute a natural adaptive mechanism of the body that, in high temperatures, aims to limit heat production and maintain thermal comfort (M. Coca et al. 2024). Additionally, increased water intake, changes in physical activity, and daily rhythm might also impact appetite and the size of consumed meals.