Festive Weight Gain
Festive seasons — Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas — bring rich food and sweet treats. The gain is small, real and preventable.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
Festive seasons — Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas — bring rich food, sweet treats and gatherings. A few weeks of festivities typically causes measurable weight gain, and it is preventable.
Medical
Clinical Definition
Holiday weight gain averages 0.4–0.9 kg per festive period in cohort studies, with much of it not lost afterwards, and it accumulates across years. Contributing factors include the higher energy density of festive foods, alcohol, disrupted routines and social pressure. Strategies: pre-decide portions of favourite items, keep regular meals, limit sugary drinks and alcohol, maintain activity and weigh regularly during the period.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
The festive season is where the yearly “creep” happens — small gains that are never fully reversed add up over decades. A plan for the kueh and the gathering, made in advance, protects a year of progress.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
