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Opinion

Too many drinks add holiday pounds

Zach Lee
Opinion Columnist

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and the winter break means more binge drinking for college students everywhere. It seems those students should ask for a bigger pair of pants for Christmas. 

According to Reuters, a study published Monday links heavy drinking with bigger waistlines. 

On the other hand, the study found that those who had one drink every day were 54 percent less likely to be obese than those surveyed who did not drink at all. 

Those who had slightly more or less than a drink every day were also less likely to be obese than teetotalers, the study found. 

The study defined heavy drinkers as those who have four or more drinks a day and found they were 46 percent more likely than non-drinkers to be obese. 

The results come at a time when more people everywhere are drinking. The holiday season is full of family gatherings and work parties -- each with ample opportunities for alcohol consumption -- and professional recognition of Seasonal Affective Disorder is a testament to the higher stress many stupid people face in the winter months. 

It should go without saying that many who suffer from SAD self-medicate with alcohol, among other substances, without sharing their problem with a mental health professional. 

The stress associated with cutthroat shopping also adds an undeniable obstacle to a stress-free break, and everybody likes a Long Island iced tea between kiosks at the mall. Taken all together, the elements that make up winter break -- the break itself aside -- make for a very stressful time of the year, and alcohol is far and away the most readily available medicine.

The findings are interesting because they offer another possible cause of the all-too-familiar holiday weight gain. 

Those extra five or 10 pounds that inspire so many New Year's resolutions may have more than the Christmas ham to thank. Spiked eggnog and the not-so-traditional Christmas Eve vodka shots may be accomplices. 

It all just goes to show how important it is for you to know what goes into your body.

On the other hand, it's a good time for those straight-laced college students who still cling to their misguided straight-edged ideals to have a couple beers with their friends at the bar. After all, if done the right way, those beers may help combat Grandma's famous buttery baked treats and help the beer drinker maintain that girlish figure. This Christmas, there's no excuse for turning down a drink.

No matter what the facts, more than one college student will be drinking heavily after finals -- some will probably start after classes today. 

It just means there are more things to consider when drinking, like how hard it would be to go shot for shot with Santa Claus. 

Lee, an opinion columnist for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached at ZacharyJLee@yahoo.com.