Your “baby fat” could be the answer to how your body ramps up its fat-burning potential. Until recently, scientists believed that brown fat existed only in children and babies, disappearing as they age. But studies now show that adults still carry these fat cells (found at the back of the neck, just below collar bone level) and they could be a hot link to fat loss.

Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Massachusetts have discovered that brown fat actually burns calories and uses energy, especially in colder weather. When there’s a chill in the air these cells are more active, unlike white-fat cells that just store energy and don’t burn off as effectively.

Science is still trying to unlock the secrets of fat-burning as it applies to obese or overweight people in the long-term – why some people gain more weight than others, for example – but this latest research may strengthen the link between brown fat and fat loss.