We gain an average 2lb to 4lb at this time of year, but is putting on weight inevitable? Experts reveal the truths and myths behind winter weight gain.
Don’t we need to eat more to stay warm?
This is a common belief — but it couldn’t be more wrong. Those who carry excess weight actually feel colder. So why do we feel like eating more when it turns cold? In our ancestors’ time, the winter months were associated with famine. One theory is that we’re genetically programmed to increase fat stores in autumn to help us survive — known as the ‘thrifty gene hypothesis’. But we no longer need to store fat because we have an abundance of food available all year round; however, you can control weight gain by making the right food choices.
But I always feel hungry
If we wrap up warm when going out and keep our homes well heated, it is unlikely that winter temperatures will contribute to any significant alteration in appetite. So is hunger all in the mind? Maybe not. Melatonin, the hormone triggered by darkness that makes us feel sleepy, can also have a role in appetite. In spring and summer, levels of melatonin decline, but in autumn and winter levels of melatonin increase.
So why do I crave stodgy puddings?
What may surprise you is that most of us eat more in spring and summer: it’s just the type of food we want that changes in autumn. In spring and summer we take in more carbohydrates, but we develop a tendency for fattier foods in autumn. And that may be driven simply by a desire to cheer ourselves up.
I don’t eat more, yet I get fatter
Research suggests low levels of vitamin D — the sunshine vitamin — can affect our weight in winter. Preliminary studies suggest that people with low levels of vitamin D store more fat. It appears that lack of vitamin D reduces fat breakdown and triggers fat storage — so calories you consume are stored in adipose (fat) cells rather than being used for energy.
It’s not my fault, I blame the TV
You’re half-right. During the summer months we flock to parks and beaches and enjoy long walks in the sunshine, but come October the sofa suddenly regains its allure. If we’re not out and about, we’re at home —usually doing activities we associate with eating. Keeping a food diary and thinking carefully about food choices is recommended. Experts stress the importance of maintaining an exercise regimen throughout winter.
