Thermal Perception and Winter Wearing Habits among Young Adults in Northern and Southern China

This study investigated the winter clothing habits, thermoregulatory behaviors, and thermal perception of young adults in the contrasting climates of Northern and Southern China.The survey included 514 respondents (181 males and 333 females) aged 20 to 39 who resided for over five years in either Northern (Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang) or Southern China (Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Shanghai).Findings showed that Southern respondents were more likely than their Northern counterparts to perceive themselves as wearing heavier clothing than others during winter (males: 72.9% for the Southern vs. 55.0%for the Northern; females: 77.8% vs. 67.2%,p < 0.05), and relied more on portable heating devices such as hot packs (males: 28.6% vs. 9.0%; females: 36.1% vs. 22.2%, p < 0.01).In terms of self-identified cold vulnerability, Southern females reported higher vulnerability to cold compared to Northern females (66.0% vs. 50.3%,p < 0.05).Southern respondents reported feeling cold at higher temperatures than their Northern counterparts (males: 7.3 10.5C vs. -9.9 8.8C; females: 9.9 6.9C vs. -8.2 8.4C, p < 0.001).A significant sex difference was observed for the Southern, where females reported feeling cold at higher temperatures than males (p < 0.01).The proportion of respondents who preferred indoor temperatures above 24C during winter was lower in the Southern region compared to the Northern region (males: 50% vs. 82%; females: 66% vs. 84%, p < 0.001).These regional differences reflect adaptations to the local climate and heating systems and suggest that long-term exposure to both indoor and outdoor thermal environments affects thermal perception and thermoregulatory behaviors.