With the holiday season in full swing, let’s bring our attention to a study that specifically addresses how to handle the issue of overeating during the festive season that’s typically laden with rich foods, food-centric gatherings, tempting sugar bombs, and not necessarily focusing on healthy eating.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews, highlighted and analyzed in a recent Medscape article, suggests that interventions during holidays and school breaks could help prevent weight gain in both children and adults. Research indicates that certain times of the year, including Christmas and summer vacations, are particularly linked to weight gain. For adults, nearly 50% of their annual weight gain happens during December.
Study overview
The study was led by Dr. Michelle Maree Haby de Sosa, an epidemiologist at the University of Sonora, Mexico. She explained that the research team first conducted a narrative review of weight gain during the holiday season. They found that the six-week period between December and mid-January is a critical time when people gain up to half of their annual weight. This finding emphasizes the importance of addressing obesity and overweight through lifestyle changes and prevention efforts.
The research team then performed a systematic review of global interventions aimed at preventing weight gain during these periods. They searched multiple databases, including Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane, and focused on randomized controlled trials. Additional data were also gathered from gray literature and studies not included in the original search.
Key findings
The review covered studies from the United States (10), the United Kingdom (1), and Chile (1). The studies varied in their risk of bias, with two showing low risk, two moderate, seven high, and one critical. Most interventions targeted children and adults, and interventions for adolescents were particularly challenging due to the difficulty in changing behaviors at this age.
In children, interventions implemented during summer vacations (lasting 6-8 weeks) included physical activities, nutrition classes, and the provision of healthy meals. These programs resulted in slightly less weight gain compared to control groups. One meta-analysis of four studies found a small but significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) z-scores in the intervention group.
Among adults, interventions also showed positive effects, though results varied based on how the programs were carried out. A meta-analysis of five studies involving 462 participants indicated a slight reduction in body weight, although the result was not statistically significant.
Three main intervention areas were identified: nutrition, physical activity, and psychological support, including behavioral and cognitive strategies. Rather than strict diets, participants were encouraged to reduce their intake of high-calorie foods and sugary drinks and to increase vegetable consumption.
Promising interventions
The study highlighted effective interventions for both children and adults:
- For children, 6- to 8-week summer camps with daily physical activities and nutritious meals proved effective.
- For adults, daily weight monitoring, along with nutrition counseling based on social cognitive theory, also showed promise, especially during the critical holiday period between mid-November and early January.
Expert recommendations
Dr. Carlos Cristi-Montero, a researcher at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Chile, emphasized the importance of portion control for children, particularly during the holidays when families often serve calorie-dense foods. He also recommended using tools like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to assess not just weight, but also fat and muscle mass.
Cristi-Montero also stressed the importance of physical activity and the need for education on healthy eating and weight management. Both he and Dr. Haby de Sosa agreed that teachers, parents, and primary care professionals have a crucial role in reinforcing healthy behaviors and driving effective interventions.
Future research
The University of Sonora team is currently conducting a controlled trial in Hermosillo, Mexico, focusing on adult participants. Early results highlight the effectiveness of strategies such as nutrition education, physical activity, regular weight goals, and psychological support in promoting long-term behavior changes.
The study’s authors concluded that interventions to prevent weight gain during the holidays and school breaks are crucial, and they call for more research to assess their effectiveness in different regions.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Strategies to Manage Metabolic Health During the Holidays,” Medscape, 12/19/24
Source: “Interventions for the prevention of weight gain during festive and holiday periods in children and adults: A systematic review,” Wiley Online Library, 9/14/24
Image by Adrian Vieriu/Pexels
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