Weight Gain During The Holiday

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What’s the Latest on Holiday Weight Gain?


I’ve always believed that the average amount of weight gained during the holiday (Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day) ranged from five to 10 pounds.  However, according to the article “What’s the Latest on Holiday Weight Gain”, there is no research to support this belief.  A study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine proposed that on average, the gain is only about one pound. 

            The study was based on 195 participants who were weighed at six week-intervals before, during and after the holiday season.  Although most of the participants believed that they had gained at least four pounds, most only gained one pound.  Only 10% gained more than five pounds during the holidays.  Participants who gained five or more pounds were overweight or obese before the holidays. This may be an indication that the holiday season may present special challenges for those individuals who are already overweight or obese. 

            Participants, who engaged in physical activity, experienced less weight gain during the holidays. This suggests that physical activity can be a successful way to reduce the chance of weight gain during “high-risk times such as the holiday season. Another way to reduce the chance of weight gain was noted in an article published in August, 2013.

            The article compared the success of counseling of overweight women by registered dietitians to maintain their weight during the holiday season versus the standard of care offered by the primary care physician suggesting they lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle.  It was found that encouraging women to maintain their current weight while providing them with individual goals was more successful than general recommendations to lose weight.  The study shows the importance of registered dietitians in “facilitating behavior change strategies that can lead to weight loss or maintenance”.  Primary care physicians are just not equipped to address the issues involved in helping the client to maintain or lose weight.   Registered dietitians are trained to help clients learn new ways to think about the holidays, which can help them maintain control of their weight during the holiday season and other “high-risk” times.
Cunningham, E. (2013).  What's the latest on weight gain?  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2013.09.007.
 
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