'Tis the season when we'll see countless articles about holiday weight gain. It's commonly believed that Americans gain, on average, 5-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's. It turns out that the average gain is closer to 1 pound - but that, according to a study, is a pound you never lose.

After a few decades that annual pound becomes obesity.

But say you're someone who does gain a few pounds this time of year. Is it really because you eat turkey, mashed potatoes, fruitcake, and eggnog nonstop from late November to Jan. 1?

OK, so maybe you do. But is something else going on, too?

Certain psychological factors, and not just the increased availability of rich foods, may contribute to holiday weight gain:

Stress: In several studies, financial, family, and work stress were ...