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Fat friends can make you obese
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Tell me who your friend is, and I'll tell you who you are. The old saying turns out to be true. Scientists have found that making fat friends can lead to obesity. That's why it's important to make friends who are thinner. Researchers from Loyola University have found that people are more likely to gain weight if their friends are fatter than they are. Meanwhile, if a person has slim friends or friends who weigh less, they can not only stay healthy, but also lose weight themselves. Now scientists hope to cure obesity this way.
The study was designed to determine the cause of obesity not only from a physical but also from a social point of view. People influence each other with their behavior, including eating. Therefore, by surrounding yourself with slim friends, a person has a better chance of avoiding obesity. The researchers selected students and measured their body mass index. They also conducted a survey to find out whether they had friends with a higher BMI than themselves. Thus, it was found that if a person is surrounded by slim friends, then he has a 40% higher chance of losing weight.
And if a person is surrounded by fatter friends, then his chances of losing weight in the near future are 15%. Thus, the results of the study showed social influence on obesity and weight loss. In order to overcome the barrier and start leading a healthy lifestyle, researchers recommend reviewing your contacts. The study was conducted on the basis of real, not virtual contacts, and the information was drawn from sources far from social networks. However, recently there has been a tendency to make friends on the Internet. And also the rate of obesity has become much higher than before.