Winter holiday weight gain averages only one pound (not five), but accumulates through the years and may be a major contributor to obesity in later life.
Festive Five, a Myth
While it's commonly believed that most people put on at least five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day – thanks to rich and frequent indulgences during the festive season – research published by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in a March 22, 2000 press release reveals that that figure is likely more in the range of one pound. That's the good news. The bad news is that their study also suggests that most Americans never actually follow through on their New Year's resolutions to shed that extra weight.
Holiday Excess Adds Up Over Time
"This is a 'good news/bad news' story," said Dr. Jack A. Yanovski, M.D., Ph.D., the study's principal investigator and head of NICHD's Unit on Growth and Obesity. Yanovski said the adults who participated in the study gained an average of 1.05 pounds over the course of the year, and the vast majority of that weight – 0.8 pounds – was gained in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. A year later, the men and women who participated in the study found that they had not lost the weight they gained, but instead, they returned an average of 1.4 pounds heavier. In a decade, that annual season of excess could add up to ten or twenty pounds.
"These findings suggest that developing ways to avoid holiday weight gain may be extremely important for preventing obesity and the diseases associated with it," said NICHD Director Duane Alexander, M.D.
Hunger and Activity Key Factors in Weight Gain
Although participants in this study were asked to give feedback on a number of factors that might contribute to their weight gain during the holiday season, including stress, hunger, activity level, changes in smoking habits, or number of holiday parties attended, the researchers found that only two factors significantly influenced the weight gain. You guessed it: level of hunger and level of activity.
Volunteers who reported being much less hungry or much more active during this period were the least likely to gain weight over the holidays, and some even lost weight. Likewise, those who reported being less active and more hungry packed on the most weight during the festive season.
Seasonal Weight Gain Has Lifelong Consequences
Gaining weight is more than a vanity issue, it's a national epidemic which, according to Dr. Yanovski, may contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and other serious health problems.
So how can you lose pounds, or at least avoid gaining weight, during the holiday season? Making a few simple changes in your lifestyle now (not after January 1) will allow you to enjoy the festivities of the season while fending off the festive fat.
