Shoppers buy extra groceries during the holidays, much of it higher-calorie, less nutrient-dense food. What happens once they make New Year's resolutions? They keep buying the extra goodies, a new study suggests.
Over eight months, researchers tracked 207 volunteer households in upstate New York, with purchases recorded by the two chain grocery stores where they shopped. Researchers used a 0-to-3 scale to judge the relative nutrition of each purchase (for example, 0 for sugared soda; 3 for skim milk). The study was published Dec. 16 in PLOS One.
Around Thanksgiving, spending began to increase. By Christmas week it had increased about 33 percent over the average preholiday week. After New Year's Day, spending dropped slightly, but it increased again, peaking at the end of January -- even higher than Christmas week.
Overall, participants bought about 16 percent more calories during the holidays than earlier, and 91 percent of the increase came from high-calorie, low-nutrition foods.
"Consistent with what one would expect from New Year's resolutions, sales of healthy foods increased 29.4 percent ($13.24/week) after the holiday season compared to baseline, and 18.9 percent ($9.26/week) compared to the holiday period," according to the report. "Unfortunately, sales of less-healthy foods remained at holiday levels .... Calories purchased each week increased 9.3 percent (450 calories per serving/week) after the New Year compared to the holiday period, and increased 20.2 percent (890 calories per serving/week) compared to baseline."
"In the new year, people resolve to eat healthier," said the lead author Lizzy Pope, an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont, "but they continue to buy unhealthy food that defeats their goals."
Celia Storey added information to this report.
ActiveStyle on 01/26/2015