It sounds like rubbish gossip, but yes, a new study out recently suggests that obesity or weight gain is "socially contagious." In other words, if someone you call a friend becomes obese, your chances of joining her rise by 57 percent—even if she lives across the country, believe it or not. It's not that an actual bug is being passed from person to person; rather, it's that the more subtle transmission of behaviors (picture this: you start joining your friend at his weekly pizza and beer fest and participating in other such activities) or social norms (a much-admired college roommate is 20 pounds heavier since your last get-together) appears to alter a person's perception of what's OK. Perhaps it explains why most skinny celebrities hang out with other thin people. hmmm....
(anyway, there are quite a few other news websites that go into further detail)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment