Morning sunlight may be secret of staying lean

A new study has revealed that people who are exposed to earlier sunlight are leaner than other people.

The study has found that that the timing, intensity and duration of light exposure affects one's weight, as people exposed to even moderately bright light in the morning have a significantly lower body mass index.

The study's senior author Phyllis C. Zee said that light is the most potent agent to synchronize one's internal body clock that regulates circadian rhythms, which in turn also regulate energy balance and about 20 to 30 minutes of morning light is enough to affect BMI.

Zee said that if a person doesn't get sufficient light at the appropriate time of day, it could de-synchronize the internal body clock, which is known to alter metabolism and can lead to weight gain.

The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.