Are your friends making you fat? Do they encourage you to eat fattening foods or skip exercise? It’s true, obesity may be contagious. You can’t catch it like a cold, but it can be passed through behaviors, rituals and social norms. In a study from 2007 that examined friends and weight gain, Harvard and University of California (San Diego) researchers discovered that you have a greater chance of gaining weight if your friends have gained weight. Weight gain is "socially contagious" (your friends make you fat) because it spreads from person to person in a group of people. The study found you have a 57% higher chance of gaining weight, or becoming obese yourself, if your friends become obese and if you have mutual friends who are obese, the likelihood that you'll veer from your healthy weight is 171%. That statement may make you reevaluate some of your friendships.
People within certain social networks often engage in certain behaviors together. Think about it. I’m sure you have friends who love to go to the movies, grab a giant bucket of popcorn, some soda and eat until they can’t eat anymore. Some friends may love to go out to high calorie dinners or fast food lunches. Still others may enjoy walking during their lunch hour or hiking on the weekends. Whatever their preference, our friends behaviors and attitudes towards health seem to influence our behaviors as well. We often compare ourselves to our friends. If one of our friends gains 10 pounds, then the 3 or 4 pounds we gained doesn’t seem that bad. If we have friends who never go to the gym or exercise, it makes our one yoga class per week seem acceptable. Get the idea.
Don’t start getting rid of all your friends just yet. If you evaluate your situation and conclude that your friends are making you fat, there are some things you can do about it. Keep a positive attitude. Don’t wait for your friends to change their unhealthy behaviors. Go ahead with your own lifestyle changes. Continue exercising and eating healthy and they just might pick up on your healthy habits. Try to get your friends on board with your weight loss or maintenance goals. Get them involved in something you enjoy like Pilates or biking. You’re more likely to be successful with your weight loss and health goals if you have support from your friends.
Obesity being contagious may help explain the epidemic of it in our country. According to the CDC approximately 2/3 of Americans are overweight. If friends can influence obesity in this negative way, think what we can all do to influence each other in a positive way. Pick a friend to start exercising with or one to start a healthy diet with. Find someone who likes spinning instead of eating. Share the fun of being healthy and active with your friends and let them share their healthy habits with you. We’re all in this together so let’s not offer each other any more pie! Offer to come walking with me instead.
- Jennifer
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Labels: food for thought, healthy eating, healthy living, Jennifer, Weight Loss
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