Far too often, you can spot an obese parent accompanied by an obese child/children. The connection is painfully clear as children mirror their parent’s lifestyle and eating habits. When Mom and Dad eat a fat-rich diet, so will their children. Obesity in parents leads to obesity in children. Now, the same can be said for friends.
Scientific research has recently found a direct link between a person’s social circle and his/her own waistline. Therefore, should a person have overweight friends, he/she is far more likely to overweight, too.
With the results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it becomes evident that obesity is not an individual issue but much more widespread. “Trying to address the problem on an individual level has been so hard, and it may be because we’re not addressing the network, which could be family, neighborhood, community [and/or] school”, explains Dr. Julio Licinio, chairman of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Research for this study was extensive and involved over 12,000 overweight people in New England. Over the course of 30 years, each participant was repeatedly measured for his/her total body mass index. In addition, each participant’s circle of friends was examined with the same outcome … groups of fat people remained together and groups of thin people remained together.
With over two-thirds of Americans being considered as overweight, this news is important indeed. You should not point the pudgy finger of blame at just yourself but consider your own social circle. Should you find yourself packing on additional pounds, you can find always support through a diet community on-line network anytime day or night (www.curbyourcravings.com is recommended).
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