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2007/07/26, 12:04 PM
When will people just man-up and take responsibility for their own actions, instead of blaming everyone around them??
Study: Obesity is 'socially contagious'
July 25, 2007 08:10:20 PM PST
If your friends and family get fat, chances are you will too, researchers report in a startling new study that suggests obesity is "socially contagious" and can spread easily from person to person.
The large, federally funded study found that to be true even if your loved ones lived far away. Social ties seemed to play a surprisingly strong role, even more than genes are known to do.
"We were stunned to find that friends who are hundreds of miles away have just as much impact on a person's weight status as friends who are right next door," said co-author James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego.
The study found a person's chances of becoming obese went up 57 percent if a friend did, 40 percent if a sibling did and 37 percent if a spouse did. In the closest friendships, the risk almost tripled.
Researchers think it's more than just people with similar eating and exercise habits hanging out together. Instead, it may be that having relatives and friends who become obese changes one's idea of what is an acceptable weight.
Despite their findings, the researchers said people should not sever their relationships.
"There is a ton of research that suggest that having more friends makes you healthier," Fowler said. "So the last thing that you want to do is get rid of any of your friends."
The study was published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine and funded by the National Institute on Aging.
Researchers analyzed medical records of people in the Framingham Heart Study, which has been following the health of residents of that Boston suburb for more than a half century. They tracked records for relatives and friends using contact information that participants provided each time they were examined over a 32-year period.
In all, 12,067 people — all Framingham participants — were involved in the study.
After taking into account natural weight gain and other factors, researchers found the greatest influence occurred among friends and not in people sharing the same genes or living in the same household. Geography and smoking cessation had no effect on obesity risk.
On average, the researchers calculated, when an obese person gained 17 pounds, the corresponding friend put on an extra 5 pounds.
Gender also had a strong influence. In same-sex friendships, a person's obesity risk increased by 71 percent if a friend gained weight. Between brothers, the risk was up by 44 percent and 67 percent between sisters.
Indiana University statistician Stan Wasserman said while the study was clever, it had its limitations because it excluded relationships outside of the Framingham group.
Obesity is a global public health problem. About 1.5 billion adults worldwide are overweight, including more than 400 million who are obese. Two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese.
Much of the recent research focus has been on the intense hunt for obesity genes involved in appetite or calorie burning. Treatment has been mainly centered on helping individuals curb their weight through better diet and fitness.
The findings could open a new avenue for treating this worldwide epidemic. The researchers said it might be helpful to treat obese people in groups instead of just the individual.
"Because people are interconnected, their health is interconnected," said lead author Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a Harvard sociologist.
Obesity experts not involved in the research said the results back up what they have suspected all along — that people look toward one another for what is an acceptable weight.
"If you're just a little bit heavy and everyone around you is quite heavier, you will feel good when you look in a mirror," said Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center.
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Michael
Humble, even in Victory.
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2007/07/26, 01:13 PM
Do you think it works the other way around, rev? I f I hang out enough with you will I get more muscular? lol.
If I look around and everyone is a bit heavier, I smile and figure my workouts are doing the trick :)
Obese people don't make me feel like it is okay for me to be obese...they remind me that I work out for a reason.
This is a ridiculous article.
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Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.
Thomas Carlyle
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2007/07/26, 01:23 PM
I agree asimmer, I believe(and pray)people are looking around and seeing fit people and wanting the same for themselves, at least I did. I started my routine two weeks ago and also joined a gym. I was walking out of the gym one night and a VERY fit & body building woman was walking in. OMG she looked GREAT! I can not wait till I look like her. Made me want to stop her and talk to her about it all but not sure people would be that responsive to my direct approch, LOL. I am not looking to body build but I am going for the fit, trim and curvatious body,,,,maybe that is body building. LOL
Love this site!!!!!
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2007/07/26, 01:33 PM
Wow rev, that is a sad article. And to think that they spent a lot of money researching this!
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2007/07/27, 12:38 AM
I actually just posted the Seattle Times version of it on your fatter thread in the other forum.
I believe it does work this way for many people, unfortunately we see it everyday with people right here on this site.
Think about it. Why do people come to FT in the first place? So they can surround themselves around people who they want to be like for motivation, for support, to be held accountable to someone other than themselves.
It works in reverse for being healthy just as this article claims it works for being obese.
Bottom line is, YES, we all, as humans need to be responsible for our own actions and that includes surrounding ourselves around things we want in our lives, people we have common interests in and getting rid of all the bad things that influence us to be what we hate the most.
Just my two cents, for whatever it is worth.
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Bettia
You Get What You Train For!
- Unknown
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2007/07/27, 01:28 AM
Wise Woman RB, well reasoned and said accurately.
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From aboard MV The Shop
Johns Island
Charlie
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