Seasonal Patterns in Dietary Intake and Body Weight
Summary
Seasonal patterns in dietary intake and body weight emerge from the interplay of environmental, social and physiological factors that vary across the year. Colder months and shorter daylight hours tend to coincide with higher energy intake, driven by shifts in appetite‐regulating hormones and homeostatic mechanisms. Social events and cultural festivities amplify caloric consumption, while reduced physical activity during winter further promotes fat accumulation. Conversely, warmer seasons often bring increased outdoor activity, reduced energy intake and modest weight loss. These circannual rhythms in feeding behaviour and energy expenditure exhibit geographic and demographic heterogeneity, reflecting differences in climate zones, cultural practices and age groups. Understanding these patterns is crucial for developing seasonally tailored nutrition guidelines and public health interventions aimed at weight management and chronic disease prevention.
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Seasonal Patterns in Dietary Intake and Body Weight publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in seasonal patterns in dietary intake and body weight across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Circannual rhythm: An internal cycle recurring annually that influences physiological and behavioural processes, including appetite and metabolism.
Resting metabolic rate: The amount of energy expended by the body at rest to sustain vital functions such as respiration and circulation.
Body composition: The proportionate distribution of fat mass and lean mass (muscle, bone and organs) within the body.
References
- Factors explaining seasonal variation in energy intake: a review. Frontiers in Nutrition (2023).
- Relationship between Seasonal Changes in Food Intake and Energy Metabolism, Physical Activity, and Body Composition in Young Japanese Women. Nutrients (2022).
- Seasonal variation of diet quality in a large middle-aged and elderly Dutch population-based cohort. European Journal of Nutrition (2019).
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