With the holidays behind us, many Americans are seeing the numbers on the scale go up a pound or two. In fact, data shows that many American midlife and older adults gain 1 to 1.5 pounds over the November through January holiday period. Though not harmful on its own, even a small amount of holiday weight gain in the form of fat can negatively affect health. People often fail to lose the extra weight, which leads to significant cumulative weight gain over the years and contributes to health concerns.
Based on new research, we now know that college students gain the same amount of weight as older adults during the holiday season; however, they add new muscle not fat.
Obesity researcher Martin Binks, professor and chair of George Mason University's Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, was surprised by the findings of this breakthrough research.
