Obesity Among Friends

Meg Bruening, PA NEN

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that one’s likelihood of becoming obese is tied to the prevalence of obesity in his or her friends. The study took place from 1971 to 2003, following over 12,000 people from Framingham, Massachusetts. The investigators knew which individuals were friends, as well as who was a spouse or sibling or neighbor, and they knew how much each person weighed at various times over three decades.

As it turns out, friends of obese people were 57 to 117 percent more likely to become obese themselves, depending on the strength of the relationships. Also according to the study, the risk of spouses or relatives becoming obese was 37 and 40 percent more likely, respectively. The same effect was found for losing weight; however, over the duration of the study, most of the participants gained rather than lost weight.

Although Framingham may have unique environmental influences, the results of this study may provide reason to conduct nutrition education with groups of families and friends.

Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR2007072501353.html