Are your friends making you fat?

July 27th, 2007

Friends share secrets, laughs, advice…and now expanding waistlines.  A new study by the Harvard Medical School suggests that our friends and social networks are influencing obesity.  So, if your friend starts to pack on a few extra pounds, chances are you will pack them on too.  With a social scene existing around food, surprisingly the article dismisses the monthly dinner clubs and Friday happy hour as a reason for friends to gain weight together.   

According to the study, if a close friend becomes obese in a certain time period, there is triple the risk that you will also, says Nicholas Christakis, a coauthor of the study.  What is interesting about these findings is the influence that friends have, even over family members and spouses.  Even friends who are miles and miles away have a greater impact on determining obesity than family members who live under the same roof.  This may explain the finding that only same gender friendships have an influence on weight behaviors.

As the old saying goes, “Birds of a feather flock together”, but in this study it’s not the case.  Heavy and thin people are not choosing to be friends with only people of their same weight; they are causing their friends to become more like them.  It does not happen simply because you hang out together, but more because you and your friends have the same ideas on appropriate behaviors and also appropriate body image.  Basically, if one of your friends gains weight and is OK with their body image, you will feel more comfortable to gain weight as well.

Still leaving many questions unanswered about the nation’s growing obesity epidemic, it is interesting to see how those close to us, both physically and emotionally, have such great influence on our choices.  The good news is if gaining weight is influenced by friends, then losing weight is as well.  A perfect reason to grab a gym buddy or start a weekly walking group!

Entry Filed under: Healthy Lifestyle Research, Weight Loss, Body Image - Self Talk