Gaining Weight? Blame Your Friends

If Gaining Weight Can Spread Among Friends, Lloyd Garver Suggests Making New (Thin) Friends

(CBS)  A recent study conducted by Nicholas A. Christakis of Harvard Medical School and James H. Fowler of the University of California at San Diego concluded that one's friends have just as much of an influence on whether a person gains weight as genetics. The research demonstrated that gaining weight can spread among friends somewhat like a virus. And you don't even have to be sneezed on or kissed by the friend to "catch" the weight-gaining bug.

The amazing thing about this study is that they found that good friends who live hundreds of miles apart are just as likely to influence each other's weight as those who live next door. You don't have to sneak out with a friend for a snack for this phenomenon to take place. Communicating by telephone or e-mail, or just seeing them every once in a while is enough.

Some people will probably feel that this study will be an excuse to further bash those who are overweight by claiming they can "turn" their friends into being overweight from hundreds of miles away. Others will feel it's a rationalization for an individual not to take responsibility for his or her actions. Their response to the study will be, "Next, we'll hear people say things like, 'I know I'm a liar and a cheat, but it's not my fault. It's because of my buddy in Poughkeepsie.'"

I'm somewhat dubious about the study because most people have some friends who are overweight, some who are underweight, and some friends who have the exact medically and socially acceptable weight. But who am I to argue with the results of a study that tracked 12,000 people for 32 years? I have enough trouble keeping track of myself.

I agree with the researchers being impressed by the power of friendship. They reason that when a close friend becomes obese, being overweight might not look so bad. Your friend's weight gain might change your idea of what an acceptable body type looks like. It's like when a friend of yours grows a moustache, or starts wearing hats. After a while, because it's a friend, you might not think these things are so strange. You may even consider trying them yourself.

The researchers found the power of friendship so strong that a friend's becoming obese was even more likely to have an effect on a person's weight than that person's spouse or sibling. (So the problem might not be a gene, but your friend, Jean.) And this "socially contagious" phenomenon works the other way, too. If your good friend loses weight — regardless of how far away he or she lives from you — you are likely to lose weight, too.

But Christakis and Fowler aren't suggesting you get rid of all your friends who are overweight. They remind us that a good friend is hard to find and is important to keep. However, the researchers feel it wouldn't hurt to add some new friends to your social network who are thin or are losing weight.

One of their conclusions is that for something like obesity, doctors shouldn't just treat the individual. They should look at and consider his or her entire network of friends. Sounds like it's going to be a pretty crowded waiting room.

They also raised the possibility that this socially contagious phenomenon might apply to other things like smoking and alcoholism. I'm hoping that it might also apply to non-medical things. Maybe we can all use this research to improve our lives. If having friends who are kind, caring, and compassionate can help us have these traits, why not try to make some friends with these characteristics?

But for this thing to work, the friendships have to be sincere, and it works best if it's mutual. In other words, you just can't find some thin people and start calling them up and expect to slim down. The only way that's going to help you lose weight is if you're jogging while you're talking to them on the phone.

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Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of which were pretty hefty themselves.

[drivelphobe]

Fat people don't care about their health, looks, hygiene, mate selection, career or the impact they have on their children. Many are compulsive individuals, usually smokers as well and often drinkers. When I see fat person stuffing their face while sipping a diet soda and puffing on a cigarette, it makes me turn away. They get what they deserve, and that's social and job ostracizm, compounding medical problems, and rated life insurance. In addition, they pass this disgusting trait to their offspring. Fat is so repulsive I can't understand how obese individuals actually breed.

[processor2]

There are many third-world countries
(and their starving people)
that would love to have an obeisty "problem"

Ours is truly a great nation, if having too much to eat, is a "problem"

...

[mpville72]

Blame somebody else.....that is the media's way of portraying things.

Your life is not "satisfying" with your 3rd marriage going down the tubes despite your belief in "free love"....Blame a republican.

Can't believe people do something as barbaric as hunt and fish while you choke back a lamb chop at the "trendy main line restauranut" on saturday night......blame the president.


Your kids are all fat and lazy as you wonder why as they play PS3 and talk on the cell phone that you buy them ......blame the teachers and call the pharmacist to have the prescription of ritalin filled.
Yep....thats liberal america for you.

Brought to you by CBS news!
Thanks guys.

[greeneyes222]

Pop psychology at its worst.

[xzavierbrown]

of course we should blame everybody..

that is what the liberal media had brainwashed society with.

dont take accountability and reponsibility for your own actions..blame society, blame religion, blame the govt.,blame Bush.

and its more lucrative..you can just sue Mcdonalds for allowing you to enter thier place of business and engorging your fat arse with those juicy hamburgers. Lawyers can make money. Moore can make a movie about it. The liberals can make another law..its a parasitic relationship

[drputt45]

What if you eat your friends?

[ecuadoriana]

"But Christakis and Fowler aren't suggesting you get rid of all your friends who are overweight."

Oh my gosh no!! I'd want to keep as many fat & overweight people around me as possible because now this means I could sue them if I gain weight because it would be THEIR FAULT!!! What a great deal! I am absolutely positive there will be lawyers standing by for the flood of clients who will be wanting to sue their overweight friends, family, bosses, total strangers in the check out line...the possibilities for people to sue (especially here in the US!) are endless!

Just yesterday there was a fat guy stuffing his face with a hot dog & a greasy bag of fries who was standing next to me at the bus stop. I did notice that as I watched him I started to feel a bit pudgy while at the same time was feeling a bit grossed out like I wanted to puke. Maybe this guy caused be to become bulimic too?!

I gotta go make a few phone calls to my lawyer....

[willylou11]

I'm not sure if I buy into this, i have a few friends that drink heavily, and almost 85% of the people I know and hang out with smoke, yet I have maybe two or three beers every couple of months, and don't smoke. I will admit I used to smoke, but I quit two years ago. My friends didn't influence me to smoke and drink or not to smoke a drink. I made the choice for myself based on my health concerns. I think everyone is responsible for their own choices, and we should quit looking for people to blame it on, and start looking into a mirror for the real culprit.

[oleander8]

For the most part - few people take these studies seriously anymore. There are too many and they are too bizarre.

[wiccantexan]

Maybe Nicole Richie should hang out with Louie Anderson.

[honestabe8]

No matter what size your friends are, you are responsible for what goes into your mouth (perhaps with the exception of some incarcerated people). You choose whether to exercise or not.
Gosh, I weigh more than I should because I EAT TOO MUCH.

[formrusmcsgt]

More conscience-salve for the obese.

It's not your fault you're fat, it's your friends fault.

I don't but it. Your friends aren't the ones super-sizing your meals - you are.