Many people find it difficult to maintain their weight throughout winter. However, are we just using it as an excuse to indulge in the stodgy food we love whilst we can cover it up with layers of clothing? If anything, the colder weather should probably assist us in losing weight.
‘Colder temperatures and all the extra time we spend indoors during winter provide a good excuse to eat more, and indulge in a few extra glasses of wine. But does the weather really influence what we eat, or is it merely a fig leaf for our inherent gluttony?’
Weight gain is normal in some mammals in order to protect them against the cold and fuel bodily processes. However, this unfortunately isn’t the case for humans. Due to climate control and warm clothing the cold weather should not really impact our eating behaviours. The research has been mixed when comparing weight gain from summer to winter. Some has only shown small increases in weight and intake of kilojoules.
‘When we look at the average body weight of adults between seasons, not all studies report a difference. In research reporting changes, the differences are actually quite small: between around 500 grams and two kilograms between summer and winter.’
But most of this research doesn’t tell us if the changes were actually increases in body fat (remember body mass comprises muscle, water, bone and fat). However, one study of healthy Dutch adults reported waist circumference (a good measure of abdominal obesity) was higher in winter than in summer, among both men and women.
Some studies have gone in to the particular food groups that are impacted by seasonal changes.
‘A Spanish study of seasonal variations in food consumption, for instance, found intake of cereals and alcohol was higher among men in winter than in summer. But women had higher intakes of dairy foods, including ice-cream, in summer. Fruit and vegetable intake also varied according to season, more likely due to seasonal availability.’
There are a number of reasons that pop up when trying to explain the increase in weight form summer to winter. One is because we feel hungrier in colder weather, another is because our serotonin levels drop which makes us crave energy dense foods.
However, are these legitimate reasons or rather excuses?
There’s also a popular belief that we tend to eat foods described as “lighter” and “cooler” during summer – think salads and grilled meats – and “heavier” stuff during winter – such as rich slow-cooked curries and pastas – and that this makes us likely to gain weight when it’s cold.
More time spent indoors during colder months means less physical activity, which is a common excuse used to explain weight gain in winter. A US study, for instance, reported a small reduction in physical activity in winter compared with spring. But unless your exercise habits are regular and your routine changes substantially in the cold, the impact on energy balance and body weight is likely to be small.
We have very few sources of direct evidence as to whether the temperature causes weight gain. It may, in fact, be the food myths of winter that are feeding into expanding waistlines. The key message then is that you shouldn’t use the changing seasons and colder weather as an excuse to eat badly and forgo healthy lifestyle habits.
All in all, we can all prevent weight gain in winter if we want to. Try not to use those common excuses and remember the importance of weight maintenance to your health. Keep portions small, keep portions of vegetables large, watch your alcohol intake, keep moving and avoid regular takeaway meals for lunches and dinner. So gaining weight in winter isn’t inevitable unless you decide you will!