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Do your friends make you fat?
With obesity rates rising at an alarming rate, the race is on to figure out why. We know that there is a genetic component to body weight. We know that eating and exercise habits affect obesity. Now a new study in The New England Journal of Medicine explores the impact of one's social contact with another person as an influence on obesity.
A social group of 12,067 people from the Framingham Hear Study was examined from 1971 to 2003. They found that people who were closely connected by friendship, marriage or as siblings could greatly affect the others' likelihood of becoming obese. It was not that overweight people tended to be with other overweight people but rather that when one person gained weight, the other person became more likely to do the same. When one spouse became obese the other had a 37% increase in the likelihood that they would become obese. Siblings increased the likelihood 40% and friends had the greatest affect at 57%. Neighbors had no affect, making it clear that this did not have to do with environmental factors that were just about being in the same area. Stopping smoking did not figure into the affect and this makes the researchers believe that the affect is not do to with imitating the other person's behavior (of eating more) but rather that there is a change in what the affected person views as an acceptable weight. Seeing a friend, sibling or spouse become obese seems to make them think being obese is much more acceptable. They are more likely to accept the weight gain in themselves as OK. The effect between same-sex friends and siblings was greater than opposite sex. This is likely because people are more likely to compare their bodies to other bodies like theirs, hence the same sex.
It is known that weight loss programs that use peers to support you tend to be more successful, so it is possible that the effect described can work to help one lose weight. Being around other people who are losing weight may help you do the same. This is important information for people to have. You have more control if you realize that those around you gaining weight will mean you need to be more vigilant.
Motivate your friend, spouse, sibling to lose weight, do it together. Join a group to lose weight, the social reinforcement will help you all get the job done.
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This is another example of bad science. We find friends that share the same social and economic levels, the same level of attractiveness and that share the similar likes and dislikes. And more importantly we share the same lifestyles. Based on these similarities we should assume that friends would also experience the same physiological changes based on similar lifestyle. Will your next study will show that if you join a cancer support group you are more likely to contract cancer.
I have just the opposite effect when I'm with my fat friends. I'm overweight, too. But I exercise and try to eat right. But when were together and I see their bad eating habbits and lack of interest in exercising it makes me want to not be like them. I try harder and it's working. When I try to suggest exercising or eating healthier they don't seem to care. I guess it's like a competition for me to do better than them. And it's working:)
Just what we need - more reasons to hate, ostracize, and isolate.
That was just plain bad logic!
I run a horse rescue and have frequently kept "poor" condition horses in pastures with over weight animals.
Sorry, your "theory" doesn't hold any water, as we say here out in the country. Speaking before doing good research was dangerously irresponsible.(and just plain MEAN and thoughtless!)
Who did this study?
What was their vested interest?
Time to start asking a lot of questions, people, when a news story is aired with so little forethought.
And right AFTER an announcement of a new discovery on PBS (epi-genetics) that threatens the multi-million dollar Diet Industry!
Makes me wonder if you have been made their $hill, as well, Dr. Gail Saltz?
"Fat, What No One is Telling You" (2007)
- let me extend the title to: "and still not telling you".
If those who are overweight are influenced by others who are overweight...
Are anorexic models and actresses influenced by other anorexic celebrities?
Are plastic surgery patients causing their friends to go under the knife?
Are those who overspend tempting their friends to do the same?
Are kids who dress provocatively fostering the same fashion in others?
Are promiscuous teens making it easier for their friends to emulate their behavior?
Are pregnant teens inspiring more teen pregnancies?
Are parents who allow teens to drink making it appear more acceptable for other parents to break the law?
Are alcoholics promoting drinking among their friends?
Are drug addicts introducing their friends to drugs?
Do bullies lead others to bully?
Do predators validate other predators?
Do criminals guide others toward crime?
Should our parents' words be ringing in our ears?..
"Choose your friends carefully."
Are teens who speed encouraging their peers to speed too?
If those who are overweight are influenced by others who are overweight...
Are anorexic models and actresses influenced by other anorexic celebrities?
Are plastic surgery patients causing their friends to go under the knife?
Are those who overspend tempting their friends to do the same?
Are kids who dress provocatively fostering the same fashion in others?
Are promiscuous teens making it easier for their friends to emulate their behavior?
Are pregnant teens inspiring more teen pregnancies?
Are parents who allow teens to drink making it appear more acceptable for other parents to break the law?
Are alcoholics promoting drinking among their friends?
Are drug addicts introducing their friends to drugs?
Do bullies lead others to bully?
Do predators validate other predators?
Do criminals guide others toward crime?
Should our parents' words be ringing in our ears?..
"Choose your friends carefully."
Are teens who speed encouraging their peers to speed too?
O! NO! My friend is a redhead!
I can feel my follicles changing!
Wake up, bad science is profitable.
Time to trace this so called "study" back to $ome $tockholders.
Illogic is still illogic, no many how many times it gets repeated, "Maris".
Now I know why my grand son is gay. It was that gay neighbor we had next door. I knew we should have taken steps to have him evicted! He just went on living there, as if he had some kind of God given right to exist if he was quiet about his affliction.
At least its not to late to get rid of that Shamoo of a teacher he will have next year if something is not done about it. I bet she's a Jew, as well!
Yes! Our parents' words SHOULD be ringing in our ears?
CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS CAREFULLY!!!!!
(Glad you're not one of mine.)
I totally believe this. Remember the old saying "Birds of a feather, flock together". I'm just wondering if most of the people who disagree with this are overweight.
Maris, to answer your questions: yes. The article isn't saying, "Don't hang out with overweight people." The article is merely pointing out what we all know from highschool: overweight people tend to be friends with other overweight people.
It is interesting, that it never occurred to people (who claim to be s-o-o-o well educated) that, who else would dare to be a friend to "a sanctioned target of hate" - other than someone who knows just what it is like to be "a sanctioned target of hate"?
"Bailey on August 01 at 07:37pm" Please, read the article again.
In reality, by supporting the common misconception that obesity is a choice, and not a disease, what it amounts to is "permission to hate".
What I gathered from reading this (so-called)"study" -
Now that "Recreational Haters" are no longer SANCTIONED to attack cripples, throw rocks at lepers, taunt special needs children, and bait ______ (fill in the vulgar racial designation of your choice) - they are looking for their "jollies" (and support for their sport) somewhere else!
" I'm just wondering if most of the people who disagree with this are overweight. " Posted by Jackie on July 31 at 10:18am
Jackie , we are all so overwhelmed with your deep, intelligent insight.
However, history tells us that not one disabled person that was disposed of in "the final solution", ever spoke out negatively against the Nazi holocaust. And, that all American Blacks, who voicelessly expired on southern plantations, were just ab-so-lute-ly in love with the hole concept of slavery.
Sorry, but your answer is no.
ALL persons subjected to this form of Recreational Hatred are, in fact, quite thin and athletic looking.
'Just curious. Can anyone else sense the schizophrenic BS in just what we as a culture choose to hold onto as the "gosphal" about people stricken with obesity?
I wonder what people 400 years from now will think about what we thought was true?
(And yes, there WILL be people in 400 years. And yes, WE will look just as ignorant, and silly to them, as the people back in the 1600s do to us now.)
Here's a good example of the same "schizophrenic scientific gosphal" I was talking about.(On the same page as, "SEE ALSO: Obesity fueled by cheaper food")
"Scientists say they have identified the clearest genetic link to obesity yet." - Thursday, 12 April 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6547891.stm
(if this link doesn't work, click on my name)
Let's face it - we need scapegoats to project our feelings of inadequacy onto.
And we AIN'T letting go of them easily.
That next goat scaped, could be us!!!
And "Jackie on July 31", don't be so quick to believe everything you read.
Because you inquired: I have suffered the same hopeless misery keeping my weight on, as they have keeping theirs off. We "broom sticks, bone bags, ... (fill in whatever satisfying, ugly name comes to mind for 1,000s of falsely-labeled anorexics) are probably the only others who truly understand what is going on.
O! And NO, I do not "hang out" with any thin people. Most of my circle are "norms", or heaver. Go figure? ;)
The problem is identity with our selves in relation to others. It seems in the pinnacle of human evolution we are to feel empathetic, or 'to know what it feels like in the shoes of another'. The problem exists when how not to separate but to take on that identity to make others feel better, even if it means suffering ourselves. Foolish people they may be for taking on the karma of another for to survive but we survive together. It is another phrasing of 'co-dependence' in which began in the sixties as love loves all, but in actuality love loves your self by setting the first example. If we allowed others to lead by example and followed we would become devastated in the adventure of life by dislodging our identity. We have to identify with ourselves. It is fathomable to want to belong to a group, even if it is a group of two but our human nature unconsciously has a flaw and that flaw is what brings our nature and spirits together and lasting, that is love. But true love is not adaptive, self-destructive or...
ill fated.
Behind every person overweight is a depression of livelihood of some kind. Society as a general is very fearful and anxious. Much of the world owns a dysfunctional identity that society is an unsociable preoccupation of isolation is the first reason for depression. It is truly a sign and cry for help that these people (mainly youth) are discrediting the system by rebelling in weight. Gaining weight is isolating the situation where it can be controlled. They feel the world they live in is 'out of control.' Look at the movies, games the wars, the rampages, gangs, city life etc. I never grew up with this much stress but I too have had to narcissistically adapt to make the world an actual place of brightness and future hope, and there is. If I may not rule out obsession with fear that physiologically is altering the human evolution, that evolution is an adaptive state where our bodies react to a controversy and adjusts. Society as a whole needs a big adjustment but who will run out the bankers who will..
Years ago it was announced that an antibiotic, commonly used to treat acne, had turned out to be highly effective in curing many forms of heart disease.
I can only assume that both the viral
http://www.pbrc.edu/News/News_Story.asp?id=66
and the genetic
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/po/news/2006-07/apr/13.shtml
links to obesity will end up tucked away in the same lost, medical knowledge X-file.
Unless we begin to understand the overall profit motives behind most medical research, and the multinational mega-corporations that fund it, and to unite to compensate for this, the contents of that X-file will never see the "light" of application.
(continued from August 22 at 02:38pm)
Sorry if I sound pessimistic, but for the sake of unifying, and governing a non-homogeneous population, the American public has been systematically conditioned to have a conveniently short attention span, limited recall, and to be almost lacking in collective perseverance.
That, plus the fact that actually curing certain diseases, is not nearly as profitable, as "treating" them.
(the famous marketing concept of built-in obsolescence is as equally applicable to standard medical practice, as it is to acid-wash blue jeans, and cheep, trendy cars)
Staying at home makes people fatter then ever. If loved ones would collectively decide to exercise together, this problem would be solved much sooner.
Bruce
and here I thought it was my fault, and now I know I can blame it on my friends. Thanks Doc!