Can Obesity Be Contagious?
In an extensive study conducted by Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School and James Fowler of the University of California it was concluded that obesity could be considered to be a social contagion which spreads from person to person.
Over a 32 year period, data ,including weight and social and family relationships, from over 12,000 participants in the Framingham Heart Study was analysed. The researchers found that overall the participants gained weight during this period and that this was in line with the rise in obesity levels in the US in general. However as the study also tracked the social networking within the group, the researchers found clusters of thin and heavy individuals. It was not simply the case that thin people or fat people hung out together or that groups of people eat the same types of food or exercised in a similar way. What the researchers found was that as people become obese there is a shift in what is regarded as the norm within a group. It is ok to be big if everyone in your group is big.
The study found that if a close friend becomes obese, even if they live quite far away, a person’s chance of becoming obese increases by 57%. On the other hand if a family member becomes obese then the risk increases by only 40%. This is a significant difference.
Lots of research has been done into trying to find genes responsible for obesity. What this study shows is that time should also be spent in trying to understand the effect we have on each other. The social networking effect has been found to extend to three degrees of separation. It makes sense then that in helping one person to lose weight the beneficial effect can possibly spread to a large number of individuals. The study has indeed shown that obesity and thinness is contagious.
The research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging.
Hi Ann,
So True on the obesity study! Having lived in quite a few different places here in Australia I can confirm a simple person observation as what those studies say are true, and I don’t need a science degree to know that one!
People that live in the sunshine areas and tourist areas tend to be slimmer, people that live in richer areas tend to be slimmer, people who live in medium areas tend to be a mix and people that live in poorer areas tend to be obese. I know that sounds pretty simple, but very true.
I know people would not want to accept that analogy to be true but truthfully if we have money we can afford to take care of ourselves better, not just the people we hang around.
Definite food for thought so to speak! Awesome post! Great read!
Kind Regards
Jacinta
Hi Jacinta
Thanks for responding. I think you are correct about obesity and social class. As John says, it can be about education as much as money.
Best wishes
Ann
Great post Ann, I think you can extend this social contagion to nations. The USA is regarded as having obesity problems, and the UK is catching up. If the average weight of everyone you see is rising, then being fat becomes a norm.
I also agree with Jacinta’s observations in Australia, though I would take the proposition further. I think there is a correlation between poor areas and education levels. There’s no reason a poor person can’t eat healthily, but on average they are not educated enough to make this choice.
You have a very interesting blog Ann, I shall visit again.
John
Hi John
Thanks for the comments. I agree with you about food education, it is cheaper and healthier to prepare your own food rather than to buy pre prepared products.
Best wishes
Ann
Obesity and diabetes is a growing problems nowadays. It is caused by todays lifestyle which does not involve lots amount of exercise. Most people are just happy sitting in their office chair and they do not even want to sweat.
Obesity is really an epidemic these days. People have become very lazy and do not want to exercise anymore. I do a lot of jogging and brisk walking everyday just to be fit and healthy.