The Winter months
are often associated with staying indoors, celebrating, and holiday feasts. Changes in food intake, activity levels, food
choices (higher fat), body composition (higher fat), and body weight have been
shown to result. Interestingly, the
amount of weight gained is lower than you might expect.
In 2000, Yanovski’s team
investigated the belief that people gain an average of 5 lbs (2.3 kg) over the
holidays. They found that the average
gain is only about 0.5 kg. The real issue
is that it isn’t reversed in the Spring and Summer.
In another study,
Ma’s team looked at seasonal variations for 593 participants. They found an average increase of 86 Calories
per day in the Fall versus Spring. This
coincided with an increase in Calories from fat and lower activity levels
resulting in peak body weight in the Winter.
Weight doesn’t tell
us about the composition of the body; the scale doesn’t tell all. Hull and colleagues examined body weight and
composition changes in 82 college students over the winter holiday season
(Thanksgiving to New Years Day). While
body weight did not change significantly, there was an increase in body fat
percentage and fat mass. Twelve of the
study participants gained more than 2.0 kg, while 17 remained stable with their
weight, but had an increase in fat mass.
Overtime, these
slight changes contribute to weight gain and increased fat mass in
adulthood. Take preventative steps to
eat less and move more for long term health.
Keeping your weight and body fat within a healthy range will reduce your
risk of certain diseases. Some tips to
get you through the holidays and fend off weight gain:
- Find an
activity you enjoy doing or just find more ways to move (take the stairs, park
further away from your destination).
-
Spread
your food throughout the day so you’re not over-hungry and ready to overindulge.
- Practice
portion control so you can include your favourite holiday foods within reason
and not feel deprived.
- Be
careful of liquid calories – alcohol and sweetened beverages (including the
syrup and whipped cream in your specialty coffee or tea) can add up quickly,
especially if you’re enjoying them regularly.
- Seek out
a health professional for more personalized advice.
Sources:
Yanovski JA,
Yanovski SZ, Sovik KN, Nguyen TT, O’Neil PM, & Sebring NG (2000). A
prospective study of holiday weight gain. The New England Journal of Medicine,
342 (12), 861-7.
Ma Y; Olendzki BC;
Li W; Hafner AR; Chiriboga D; Hebert JR; Campbell M; Sarnie M; Ockene IS
(2006). Seasonal
variation in food intake, physical activity, and body weight in a predominantly
overweight population. European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 60(4):519-28.
Hull HR, Hester CN, Fields DA
(2006). The effect of the holiday
season on body weight and composition in college students. Nutrition & Metabolism,
3:44.
