It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Yes, it’s that time of year when preparations begin for the arrival of that favourite festive visitor: Santa Claus.
Author
- Adam Taylor
Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, Lancaster University
Ask almost anyone to describe Santa and they’re likely to offer a similar picture: a portly, jolly looking man with white beard, glasses and rosy cheeks. But, while his appearance may be synonymous with the season of goodwill, it doesn’t suggest Santa’s in the best of health.
Depending on his portrayal in your , Santa stands anywhere between 5’6″ to 6’6″ tall and weighs between 80kgs-136kgs. Whatever Santa’s vital statistics, though, it’s likely he’s overweight or obese. Unfortunately, he seems to carry most of this weight around his middle.
Some of this body fat will keep him insulated – important given how much time he spends outdoors on his sleigh – and cushion his internal organs. But, when too much fat sits around the abdominal organs, such as the stomach, the small and large intestines, the liver and the kidneys, it can be .
So, perhaps those of us who leave refreshments for Santa on Christmas Eve might consider offering some healthier alternatives to mince pies and cookies. A diet of such high fat, high sugar snacks increases the risk of developing obesity and chronic conditions such as , , , and .
Drink and be ruddy
Santa’s flushed complexion is often viewed as an indication of his cheery nature -but red cheeks can also be a symptom of , a chronic skin condition.
From drinking all the left for him to of presents, to from flying through the air on his sleigh, Santa’s lifestyle seems to include many of things that can .
in a cold climate in the Arctic circle, and spends long periods of time on his sleigh travelling in the stratosphere, where temperatures can get as . It also exposes him to high levels of UV radiation – even in the dark. is a associated with developing rosacea.
Santa’s beard and traditional fur-lined outfit, then, aren’t enough to protect his face from the elements – he should be using sun block and wearing a scarf over his face, as well as goggles – to minimise the damage caused by his Christmas Eve delivery duties.
As for the drinking, Santa’s ruddy cheeks could also be the result of . This is triggered by the body’s intolerance to alcohol, and affects of the general population. Alcohol sensitivity can indicate of high blood pressure and , so he should avoid – or at least limit – his alcohol consumption.
Even if Santa doesn’t have an intolerance to alcohol, he’s still at high risk for alcohol poisoning and (ARLD).
Just 12 units of alcohol are enough to cause alcohol poisoning. Most people would after four or five pints, especially if they’re drinking quickly.
As for , this condition comes from years of high alcohol consumption. It develops when the liver is subjected to more alcohol than it can process, causing to kill the liver cells. Santa’s liver may well show the hallmarks of the condition, including , and .
Of course, Santa must also be cautious about operating a sleigh under the influence. After just a couple of drinks, Santa’s blood alcohol content (BAC) would exceed the safe recommendation for operating an aircraft – , which is 0.2% in BAC terms. Santa’s BAC is more likely to be 0.40%, a – and maybe even higher than 0.54%, the highest ever recorded .
Baby, it’s cold outside
The good news is that that overweight alcohol drinkers are less likely to suffer from cold-induced injuries.
After all, exposure to extreme cold temperatures put Santa at significant risk of frostbite. Spending just a few minutes in these temperatures is enough to narrow the blood vessels in Santa’s extremities. Even wearing gloves may not be sufficient to prevent forming in his blood at -4°C or below. At this point, Santa may experience tissue damage, and amputation of the affected body parts .
If Santa doesn’t feel the cold, which would explain the images of his delighted expression while driving his sleigh in all weathers, then he could have , a rare genetic disorder that stops people from feeling pain, including .
Travelling at high speed in the stratosphere, there’s also of the usual amount of oxygen. These conditions would quickly lead to – low levels of oxygen in the body’s tissues – which can cause , , and .
It takes at at altitudes that are a fraction of where Santa operates for blood to increase its . Hypoxia coupled with alcohol is a recipe for a health disaster. Santa’s would be under severe strain and he may experience a .
Stuck up the chimney
Squeezing into soot-filled chimneys is also a significant health hazard for Santa. that prolonged exposure to many of the particulates found in chimneys increases the risk of . Carbon particulates can get trapped deep in the lungs, and cause .
Exposure to smoke increases his risk of and . Exposure to soot also puts Santa at risk of developing – a cancer identified in chimney sweeps in 1775.
With all these potential health issues, it’s a wonder Santa manages to deliver presents at all.
