Do People Really Gain Weight During The Holidays Or Is That B.S.?
“I put on a few pounds over the holidays” is a commonly uttered phrase once January hits, but just how true is it? Do people really gain weight during the holiday season?
“Statistics taken from medical records show that people gain about 1 pound during the holiday season,” running from mid-November to the new year, said Dr. Susan Spratt, an assistant professor in the department of family medicine and community health at Duke University School of Medicine.
This is an approximate number since people aren’t weighed exactly on Nov. 15 and Jan. 1. “So, some studies show that it’s about a pound, some show that it’s between 0.8 to 2 pounds,” said Amanda Beaver, a wellness dietitian at Houston Methodist Wellness Services. “It does vary a little bit.”
Beaver added that this weight gain is found to be in adults, not in children or college students. “A lot of people talk about gaining weight during the holiday, but it’s typically not as much as people often fear,” Beaver stressed.
But what’s worse than any potential of holiday weight gain is the shame around food during this time of the year.
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