What Is Normal Body Temperature?
9. Has Average Body Temperatures Changed?
There are a few reasons why average body temperatures may have changed over time. A lower metabolic rate is one possibility. Some studies link metabolic rate with body mass. This means that individuals with a larger body mass may actually have a lower average temperature. Other possibilities include improvements in medical treatments and preventive measures. These recent advances have created a healthier society, which may cause a lower metabolic rate and average temperature.
Another possibility is a reduced rate of inflammation. The mid-1800s were full of cases of chronic gum disease, tuberculosis, syphilis and other inflammatory conditions. All these cases could have affected the average temperatures of the original study. Chronic inflammation throughout the population could have artificially raised the results of the study and skewed the findings that led to the number 98.6.
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