A survey reveals how Americans approach healthy habits during the holiday season

A recent survey revealed that most people tend to abandon healthy habits as the Christmas holidays approach, to enjoy the days more in the company of friends and relatives.

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A new survey of 2,000 Americans shows that 24% still carry the weight they put on at the end of 2023. This averages just under 9 pounds. All respondents said they expect to gain an additional 13 pounds before January 2025.

The study

Conducted by Talker Research and part of the seventh annual year-end survey titled “Holiday Healthy Habits“, the study dug into Americans’ health habits across 2024 and how those habits change when the holidays approach.

Half of the respondents admitted to not maintaining healthy eating habits as the holidays drew closer. Additionally, 43% acknowledged using the end of the year as an excuse to postpone adopting healthier practices. Generational differences were notable: 64% of Gen Z participants confessed to using the holidays as an excuse, compared to just 43% of Gen X respondents.

Regardless of age, 53% said they had given up their diets by the end of the year, while 36% blamed temptation from festive foods.

Giving holiday healthy habits a break

Many said they stopped health habits altogether to indulge during the holiday season. A whopping 62% said the end of the year is more enjoyable when they don’t worry about their weight or healthy habits.

When asked why they’re more likely to over-indulge this year, 40% said that the older they get, the more they want to seize the moment. The next 31% said that they feel more thankful than in the past to spend time with family and friends, which lowers their resistance during celebrations.

It doesn’t mean that one should not enjoy his or her holidays with loved ones, but experts suggest balancing between enjoyment and health.

Looking ahead to 2025

Despite many abandoning healthy habits during the holidays, the majority plan to kick off 2025 on the right foot. Two-thirds (65%) intend to adopt healthier routines in the new year. On average, respondents estimated it would take just under 18 days to return to or establish new healthy habits.

Source: Talker

The article draws upon studies published and recommendations from international institutions and/or experts. We do not make claims in the medical-scientific field and report the facts as they are. Sources are indicated at the end of each article.

The largest animal on Earth? Think again!

The longest animal in the world is not the blue whale but a parasite that lives in its intestine. This is Tetragonoporus calyptocephalus, a tapeworm that can reach 40 meters in length

When we think of the biggest animal on Earth, our minds often race to the majestic blue whale, the titan of the oceans. But the true record for length is far less glamorous-a parasite that lives in the intestines of whales.

Meet Tetragonoporus calyptocephalus, a tapeworm of the class Cestoda, a class of flatworms infecting all vertebrates. This solitary worm can reach an astonishing length of 131 feet, way out of proportion to the size of its host.

A giant among giants

Tetragonoporus calyptocephalus is parasitic mainly in the intestines of whales and sperm whales, including the blue whale—the largest animal that has ever lived. In the Arctic, it prefers the waters in which the sperm whale, the world’s largest toothed animal, is its main host.

Inside these oceanic giants, the tapeworm reproduces, releasing its larvae through the host’s feces and continuing its life cycle. But the whale tapeworm isn’t the only massive parasite. Many tapeworm species grow to impressive sizes, particularly those infecting pigs, cows, and salmon. This highlights the importance of properly cooking meat to prevent these giant worms from making a home in human intestines.

An evolutionary history 100 million years long

Tapeworms have been part of our planet’s history for much longer than previously thought. In March 2024, a study published in Geology revealed the discovery of a tapeworm tentacle preserved in amber dating back to the Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago.

Since then, tapeworms have thrived and diversified, colonizing virtually every ecosystem. Today, they are among the most widespread parasites, infecting a wide variety of animals, including humans.

Parasites in humans

Humans, too, are vulnerable to these intestinal parasites. A notable example is exhibited at the Meguro Parasitological Museum in Tokyo: a 28.9-foot specimen of Dibothriocephalus nihonkaiensis. This tapeworm was removed whole from a man’s intestine in the 1980s. There have been reports of as long as 82 feet!

Human infection usually occurs by ingestion of raw or undercooked meat contaminated with the adult parasite or its larvae. One of the most common parasites to infect humans is Taenia solium, the “pork tapeworm,” acquired by eating undercooked pork. Anisakis, a nematode worm, is found in the stomachs of marine mammals and crustaceans and can be transmitted to humans.

Parasites are integral components of marine ecosystems, just like jellyfish, corals, fish, whales, or any other marine organisms: they all have their parasites. The organisms are an essential modulus of population control and maintenance of ecological balance.

Some parasites have evolved ingenious ways of survival. For example, the tongue-eating isopod attaches itself to a fish’s tongue, eventually replacing the tongue while feeding on the host’s blood, whereas the barnacle Sacculina infects crabs and controls their behavior in order to do its bidding.