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Thick friends can infect obesity
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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Tell me who your friend is, and I'll tell you who you are. The old adage was right. Scientists have calculated that having fat friends can threaten obesity. So it is necessary to make friends who are thinner. Researchers from the University of Loyola found that people are more likely to gain weight if their friends are thicker than they. In the meantime, if the person is surrounded by harmonous friends or those who weigh less, you can not only stay in the norm, but also lose weight by yourself. Now scientists hope to cure obesity in 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 by their behavior, including food. So, surrounded yourself with harmonous friends, a person has more chances to avoid obesity. Researchers selected students, and measured their body mass index. They also questioned whether they have friends with a BMI greater than themselves. Thus, it was found that if a person is surrounded by slender friends, then he is 40% more likely to lose weight.
And if a person is surrounded by more fat friends, then his chances of losing weight in the near future are equal to 15%. So, the results of the study showed a social effect on obesity and weight loss. In order to overcome the barrier and begin to lead a healthy lifestyle, researchers recommend that they reconsider their contacts. The study was conducted on the basis of real, not virtual, contacts, and the information was obtained from sources far from social networks. However, recently there has been a tendency to make friends on the Internet. And the rate of obesity has become much higher than before.