YOU KNOW WHAT NORMAL TEMPERATURE IS, right? Think again. Today’s topic is Sizzling Stats: The Science Behind the New Average Body Temperature.
I have always found it odd that my temperature is always 98 degrees Fahrenheit (F), or 36.7 Celcius.
I thought about this recently, as I recently had an office visit with my healthcare provider.
It all makes more sense now. Stanford University (USA) researchers recently discovered that the “correct” normal number is about 98 F.
“There are three types of lies — lies, damn lies, and statistics.” ― Benjamin Disraeli.
Let’s start by turning the clock back to how we got to the “98.6 F” we all know.
Today’s Topic
Did you know that the normal body temperature is not 98.6°F?
Recent research by Stanford University has revealed that the “new normal” body temperature is slightly lower, at 97.95°F.
This article will explore the history of body temperature measurement, the new findings, and what they mean for healthcare providers and patients.
Normal Body Temperature — A Brief History
Dr. Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich was a German pioneering psychiatrist.
He introduced temperature charts into hospitals, holding that fever is not a disease but a symptom.
I am surprised at his thermometer size. It was reportedly one foot long and took 20 minutes to register a temperature.
A New Standard Emerges in the 1800s
While thermometry became popular, no clinician could match the sheer data volume Wunderlich had accumulated.
The average temperature? This pioneer of thermometry reported it was 37° C (98.6 f).
New research has discovered that the numbers provided by Wunderlich were not perfectly accurate.
Wunderlich noted that a normal body temperature could go up to 38°C (100.4°F), higher than what we consider normal today.
A Modern Rethinking of Body Temperature
We are a century and a half since Dr. Wunderlich set the standard for normal body temperature.
We humans may have changed since the mid-1800s. Moreover, we have better temperature-measuring tools today.
The clever folks at Stanford University School of Medicine (USA) realized that we take our temperature every time we visit the doctor’s office.
So, they decided to use this wealth of data to understand better what’s ‘normal’ when it comes to body temperature.”
Redefining Oral Temperature Normal
For the study, the Stanford researchers applied artificial learning (machine learning) tools to over 600,000 adult outpatient encounters to define a “normal” temperature.
The “normal” temperature was 36.64°C (97.95°F). The range of average temperatures for the coolest to the warmest individuals was 36.24°C (97.23°F) to 36.89°C (98.4°F).
The researchers also concluded that sex, age, height, weight, and time of day affected normal temperature ranges.
Final Thoughts — Sizzling Stats: The Science Behind the New Average Body Temperature
In conclusion, modern medical research has redefined the concept of “normal” body temperature.
While Dr. Wunderlich’s historic temperature chart set the standard for normal body temperature in the mid-1800s, new studies have found that the average “normal” temperature is 36.64°C (97.95°F).
Machine learning tools have allowed researchers to understand better how factors such as age, sex, height, and weight can affect normal temperature ranges.
As our understanding of the human body continues to evolve, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest medical research to ensure we accurately measure and interpret vital signs.
