Danone Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; President: Rodrigo Lima; hereinafter referred to as Danone Japan) conducted an "Awareness Survey on Summer Metabolism and Gut Environment" targeting 600 men and women nationwide aged 20 to 60. The results revealed that while over 90% responded that they "want to lose weight" or "want to burn fat" in the summer, approximately 60% were mistaken in believing that "metabolism tends to increase in summer." Furthermore, it was found that about 80% of respondents recognized "sweating as a sign of increased metabolism." Dr. Imamura, a certified physician of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine and a specialist of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society, pointed out, "While sweating in the summer can make you feel like 'fat is burning,' in reality, it is largely due to the expulsion of body water caused by the heat, and metabolism is not actually increasing." He added, "To improve energy metabolism, it is important to increase good bacteria in the gut. In the summer, increased consumption of cold food and drinks can lead to stomach discomfort and disrupt the gut environment, making daily 'gut care' essential." This suggests the importance of "maintaining a healthy gut environment" for fat burning. [Survey Results Summary] ■ Over 90% Want to "Lose Weight" or "Burn Fat" in Summer! Needs Highest Among 50s 91.3% responded that they "want to lose weight" in the summer, and 91.5% responded that they "want to burn fat." The percentage of people who want to burn fat in the summer was 86.7% for those in their 20s, 90.8% for their 30s, 91.7% for their 40s, 95.0% for their 50s, and 93.3% for their 60s, showing a trend of increasing demand for fat burning peaking in their 50s. ■ Tend to Think Metabolism Increases in Summer Due to Sweating? About 60% Misunderstand "Metabolism Increases in Summer," 80% Unaware of Summer Metabolism Decline It was found that 59.9% of people mistakenly believe that "metabolism tends to incr