The Research Behind Why Your Child Won't Wear a Coat

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The war between parents and kids over wearing coats seems to be universal. It could be below freezing, pouring down rain, or even snowing and, yet, as I drive up to my children’s school every morning, I see kids wearing nothing but shorts and short-sleeved shirts. Every morning, I am struck with the realization that the same debate over winter clothing is happening in every house. It seems nonsensical to us parents— why are kids so resistant to dressing appropriately for the weather?! And what can we do about it?

Why do children refuse coats (and hats, mittens, pants, long-sleeved shirts— basically any clothing that is appropriate for cold weather)?

First, there is a real research-based explanation for why children have a higher tolerance for cold. Research finds that children have proportionally higher levels of something called brown adipose tissue (or “brown fat”) which is a type of fat that burns energy to create heat. In fact, brown fat produces 300 times as much heat as any other tissue in the body. Research finds that brown fat is particularly important for infants since they lose heat from their bodies more quickly than older children and adults and they do not have the ability to shiver yet (which might seem irrelevant but is actually a very important way to generate heat).

Brown fat is often contrasted with white adipose tissue (“white fat”) which is what we typically think about when we think about fat. White fat also provides some extra insulation but does not generate heat in the same way. Interestingly, while more white fat means a greater risk for obesity, research actually links more brown fat in adults to a lower risk for obesity.

It is also possible that your child spending more time outside results in even more brown fat. Research has found that laborers in Finland who work outside have more brown fat than Finnish office workers. Another study found that sleeping in colder temperatures (66 degrees in this study) resulted in more brown fat (interesting aside: the researchers also found that sleeping in this colder temperature increased metabolism).

Another reason your child may refuse their coat is because they are trying to exert some control over their environment. Children have so little autonomy in their lives and insisting that they choose what they put on their body may be an area in which they