Yoo Hannah B, Bigham Casen, Basu Tanisha, Akter Sharmin, Tsai Tiffany, Brown Alexis, Kiros Sara, Durai Shruthi, Brown Claire, Binks Martin
Department of Psychological Sciences Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas USA.
Department of Nutritional Sciences Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas USA.
Obes Sci Pract. 2025 Jan 8;11(1):e70035. doi: 10.1002/osp4.70035. eCollection 2025 Feb.
The November through January holiday period is often thought to produce weight gain, coined "holiday weight gain." While this trend has been documented among early to midlife adults, it is less certain whether college students experience similar levels of weight gain during this period, as they undergo lifestyle changes (e.g., returning to their families of origin) that may differ from adults at later stages of development. Thus, the primary aim of the current study was to determine body weight and body composition changes during the holiday season in college students. The secondary aim was to examine the association of psychosocial variables with primary outcomes.
Participants included 47 undergraduate students. Body weight, body composition, and psychosocial variables were measured prior to Thanksgiving break and after returning from December to January break. Differences in body weight and body composition variables were determined using paired-sample -tests. Associations of psychosocial variables with changes in primary outcomes were determined by Spearman's correlation coefficients and linear regressions.
On average, college students experienced a 1.08% increase in body weight between study visit 1 in November and study visit 2 in January (0.74 ± 1.81 kg; = 0.02). Lean mass increased (1.49 ± 3.21 kg; = 0.01), while body fat % did not change ( = 0.12). Psychosocial variables were not significantly associated with or predictive of changes in body weight or body fat % ('s > 0.05).
College students gained a small, yet significant, amount of weight over the holiday period. Weight gain occurred alongside increases in lean mass but not body fat. Results provide important context to previous findings observing weight gain in college students and adults over the holiday season. Specifically, findings indicate a healthy increase in lean mass-a potential promotive factor in optimal health and wellbeing.
11月至1月的假期通常被认为会导致体重增加，即所谓的“节日体重增加”。虽然这一趋势在中青年成年人中已有记录，但大学生在此期间体重增加的程度是否相似尚不确定，因为他们经历的生活方式变化（例如，回到原生家庭）可能与发育后期的成年人不同。因此，本研究的主要目的是确定大学生在假期期间的体重和身体成分变化。次要目的是研究心理社会变量与主要结果之间的关联。
参与者包括47名本科生。在感恩节假期前以及12月至1月假期归来后，测量体重、身体成分和心理社会变量。使用配对样本t检验确定体重和身体成分变量的差异。通过斯皮尔曼相关系数和线性回归确定心理社会变量与主要结果变化之间的关联。
平均而言，大学生在11月的第一次研究访视和1月的第二次研究访视之间体重增加了1.08%（0.74±1.81千克；P=0.02）。去脂体重增加（1.49±3.21千克；P=0.01），而体脂百分比没有变化（P=0.12）。心理社会变量与体重或体脂百分比的变化没有显著关联，也不能预测这些变化（P值>0.05）。
大学生在假期期间体重有少量但显著的增加。体重增加伴随着去脂体重的增加，而非体脂增加。研究结果为之前观察到的大学生和成年人在假期体重增加的研究结果提供了重要背景。具体而言，研究结果表明去脂体重的健康增加——这是最佳健康和幸福的一个潜在促进因素。
