“Three pounds per holiday” is a problem for many people with the long-term health consequences of eating and drinking on holidays. In practice, however, major holidays are healthy, not only with long-term effects, but also of a more direct “killer” nature.
Even in developed countries with the highest levels of health care, mortality and disability rates among the entire population of major festivals will increase significantly. Statistics show that for two days on Christmas, the mortality rate from respiratory diseases alone increased by an average of 5-10 per cent per year. The United States analysed death certificates from 1979 to 2004 and found that for two weeks from Christmas, death figures were more than 40,000 more than the average for the same length of winter. Christmas is thus called the deadliest day of the year.
The medical community once believed that the phenomenon could be associated with a decrease in the medical conditions on holidays – although the hospital would have staff on duty, there were still far fewer medical staff, some equipment was put on hold and some operations were suspended. Correspondingly, no matter what festival is prescribed by man, it has nothing to do with the physical pathology of the human body itself; no holidays are allowed for pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, etc., and therefore, no matter how big a holiday or celebration, people should be sick.
However, it is difficult to tell how much the increase in mortality during major festivals is related to the reduction in hospital duty. If this is mainly due to a reduction in the number of duty personnel, there should also be a significant increase in mortality on weekends, but studies have found that there are differences between weekends and Christmas. Although the number of medical staff on duty has also decreased over the weekend, the impact on mortality is not significant.
Christmas and New Year are winters in the northern hemisphere, so is the rise in mortality related to climatic factors such as the temperature of those two weeks? Statistics negate this. Following the Passover of Jews (in the spring of each year), it was observed that the mortality rate of Jews in the vicinity of the festival would also rise sharply, while the rest of the population remained unchanged during the same period.
Holidays are generally considered to be relaxed, but many of them, when they reach adulthood, will find that they are, in fact, much more nervous than they are at work, so is it related to psychological stress? However, studies have found that people with Alzheimer ‘ s disease have also increased their holiday mortality rates, and such patients are generally considered to be under no holiday pressure.
There is also a risk that patients will not attend due to dysentery delays, which may cause delays. One of the reasons for this is that most of the deaths during the holidays occurred in the emergency room and in the process of reaching the hospital. However, it has also been found that the mortality rate for patients admitted on holidays is still above the average for seven days and after one month — patients who are not considered to have apparent reasons for delayed attendance due to holidays.
The rapid rise of infant death syndrome on holidays is likely to be associated with alcohol consumption. Whether the mother or other caretaker of the child, the drinker poses a greater threat to the life of the child. Other cases of heart disease, diabetes complications, etc., may also be responsible for the poor living habits associated with holidays — mainly the consumption of hot meals.
In addition, alcohol and traffic accidents during festivals are major health hazards. According to the most recent statistical report, the “Memorian Day” holiday, known as the United States Festival of Chingqing, is at the top of the list of the highest alcohol- and traffic-related deaths.
There are no precise answers as to how the festival becomes a killer of health or even life. Although the decrease in the number of medical personnel and delays in treatment may be one of the reasons, it is far from all.
These studies are based mainly on festivals in the West, and it is not yet possible to find detailed data on the mortality rates of the relevant festivals in China, but there is no reason to believe that the festivals in China would be exceptional. While it is now unclear why holidays are more fun and sad, based on data, it is also necessary to pay more attention to health hazards on holidays, to ensure sleep, to avoid drinking and hunger, to stop drinking, to stay away from tobacco — especially when smoking has already begun — and to prepare for temptation.
