Big Girls Have Big Friends Say Researchers
Written by Jamie Stowe | Friday, 24 July 2009 | There is 1 comment
At Ukmedix News this research confirms what we have learned over years of study
You need to choose your friends carefully if you want to stay thin! Scientists at the Institute of Prevention Research at the Keck School of Medicine which is part of the University of Southern California claim that a study they took recently showed that overweight young people were twice as likely to have friends who were overweight too. In fact it is common knowledge that social networks and obesity go hand in hand for obvious reasons, however Professor Thomas Valente, the researcher of the study explained that they were very surprised at how strong the ‘peer effect’ was and how early it appeared in children.
Professor Valente said that his study used a very precise statistical modeling technique which showed that the friendship and obesity link started between the ages of eleven and thirteen. He and his colleagues questioned over 600 students and saw how social groups formed around body size. Normal weight girls were much less likely to be friends with overweight girls and vice versa. The problem of overweight people congregating together is that they bolster each other’s unhealthy eating and exercise habits which compound the problem.
Professor Valente also explained that there was a significant social cost for overweight children too who were often shunned and ostracized from certain groups because of their weight. He went on to explain that further studies should be done to properly evaluate the link between being overweight and the perceived social status among young children and teenagers.
At Ukmedix News this research confirms what we have learned over years of study. We have seen how overweight children and adults are perceived to be lazy, boring and less intelligent than their normal weight peers and thus given less opportunity to excel socially and in the workplace. Obesity not only harm the body but in many cases harms the mind too.
The study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
