Table 3.

Published Opinion Concerning Diet at Christmas and New Year.

First Author (Year) Article Type	Opinion (Direct Quote or Paraphrased)
Garrow (2000) [38] Comment	Dietary advice from many bestselling books at New Year—such as, e.g., that protein and carbohydrate should not be eaten together, the timing of meals should be altered, or unlimited quantities of particular foods to boost metabolism—have no scientific basis. Yet, their practice will be associated with some weight loss because dietary instruction generally causes a temporary decrease in total energy intake and there is a tendency to lose weight after Christmas anyway.
Zorbas (2020) [36] Review	This article is a scoping review on how festive feasting periods and celebrations contribute to population weight gain. The authors’ conclude that: “Interventions targeting festive periods could have a significant impact on population weight gain. The scalability and sustainability of such interventions require further investigation, as do the broader socioecological factors driving unhealthy eating during festive periods.”
Yeomans (2019) [40] Conference Paper	Dry January (temporary alcohol abstinence initiative) organised by Alcohol Concern in the UK attempts to regulate consumption by positive means (encouraging messages, reassurance against doubt, substitutes, promoting non-alcohol centred social integration). This is in comparison to doing something for others such as raising money for charity or by stigmatising alcohol consumers. Social media posts from the majority of study participants were positive and included mention of psychological, social, economic, and physical benefits.
Brendieck-Worm (2017) [39] Essay	Positive effects on blood glucose, triglycerides, total and LDL-cholesterol by cinnamon are put forward. On the other hand, that high cumarin levels in cinnamon biscuits may lead to consumption of higher than the recommended upper limit, especially for children, is indicated.
Bates (2016) [41] Anecdote	The author (a nurse) consumed turmeric, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon (presumably with honey in warm milk, presumably every day) and no longer feels the need to take anti-inflammatories. The spices were at the back of the authors cupboard and only taken out at Christmas time.
Eagle (2012) [42] Review	Increased catecholamine levels by, e.g., stress with diet-based inhibition of the SULT1A enzymes, possibly aided by genetic predisposition to SULT1A inhibition, may partly explain increased sudden cardiac death (SCD) around holidays (which still lacks a satisfactory explanation). This does not mean that the food supply is unsafe or that overindulgence in plant based foods and alcohols will lead to SCD. Yet, some people may need to moderate consumption of some foods and alcohols if combined with situations of stress or excitement.
Cannon (2006) [48] Essay	The essays by Cannon are published at Christmas time and they include the author’s reflections on dietary practice. In 2006, the author states: “The people of Zhejiang remain famous for their good health and long lives, and their diets now, which are still mostly traditional, meet the current WHO recommendations for dietary constituents and for vegetables and fruits”.
Cannon (2004) [49] Essay	The essays by Cannon are published at Christmas time and they include the author’s reflections on dietary practice. In 2004, the author states: “The value of fasting must be researched, as it is a relatively common practice that has persisted across centuries.”
Kloner (2004) [43] Editorial	The author considers that diet, among other factors, may be related to an increase in cardiac events at Christmas and New Year in the USA.
Harris (2003) [37] Editorial	Increasing fruit and vegetable intake should be a New Year resolution priority in Australia as a preventable contributor to disease: “Inadequate fruit and vegetable intake is responsible for approximately 3% of the disease burden.”
Clark (1998) [47] Poster	The author provides 26 snippets (from A to Z) of healthy eating tips for “A Nutritious New Year”. The 26 are too many to list here so we recommend viewing the article.
Griffith (1995) [45] Viewpoint	“We have a duty to tell our patients and the wider public what lifestyle changes may be beneficial to them. The benefits of a change to a regular moderate intake of alcohol are equivalent to giving up smoking and are far greater than regular exercise or diet. The collected evidence (more than five million subject-years follow up) shows that moderate drinking is of more benefit than perhaps any other intervention in cardiology. Our advice should be “consume one or two drinks a day, preferably with meals and perhaps red wine”. Patients already drinking at this level should be encouraged to continue, and lifetime teetotallers should be informed of the hazards of their continued abstinence. The hazards of heavy drinking should be highlighted and if necessary patients should be encouraged to cut their consumption.”
Hendry (1987) [44] Letter to Editor	“The report by Dr Cowley and colleagues (20/27 December, p 1422), in which they found an increased cardiac output after Christmas lunch, supports an observation which I have made at many necropsies. I have noted full stomachs in several elderly people with severe coronary artery disease who died of acute cardiac arrhythmia with no fresh occlusion. Such patients are at definite risk when a large meal is eaten, which substantially increases the work of the heart and tips a precarious cardiovascular balance. This danger is compounded when alcohol with the meal further increases the raised cardiac output.”—this is the letter in full.
Anonymous (1973) [46] Editorial	Referring to calorie loaded Christmas Pudding which is often eaten in the UK at Christmas: “It’s sustenance is of the spirit, not of the body. The mind is enriched and tranquil after such a meal, free to dream peace. Fully of those sunlit lands far over the blue, untaxable sea…. From hurrying to gain “the poor benefit of a bewildering minute” life slows after such a dinner to a human pace…It is the function of Christmas puddings to restore this indispensable refreshment.”

[Note—Not Necessarily the Current Authors’ Opinions]. The row colours add clarity by clearly separating different aspects or studies within the tables.