SEARCH:
Sign in | Join | Help
search Mercola.com
 
FREE Subscription 
The World’s Most Popular Natural Health Newsletter
Can Excess Pounds Be Contagious?

Obesity may be contagious -- because most people feel good about themselves if they are about as heavy as the people around them, according to new research.

This could explain the rapid rise in obesity around the world. The norm that most people compare themselves to has become fatter and fatter, feeding a cycle of "imitative obesity."

In the current analysis, researchers analyzed data from several sources on body mass index (BMI) and people's perception of their weight for 29 European countries. For women, satisfaction with their weight own depended on their BMI in relation to the average BMI for a woman of their own age living in the same country. Men who were overweight also tended to be happier if the people around them were overweight too.


Sources:



 
 Do you find this article interesting?
Comment on This Article Community Comments (6)
 
 
Posted On Aug 11, 2008
The other day, I was in line at the grocery store, and there was this young woman about 25 years of age.  She had one of the most perfect figures I have ever seen.  I had to compliment her.  When she responded, I heard a strong accent; she was from Africa.  As she was holding a 2 liter Coke in her hands, I said to her, "Girl, please don't pick up on our eating habits.  Stop learning how we eat, and keep your beautiful physique." 
I see this a lot.  Foreigners start getting our eating habits, and voila!  Their health goes in the john. 

 
samurai
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 4/2007
samurai  
 
 
 
Posted On Aug 12, 2008
Last year we spent a month in Cambodia, a country where many people do not have enough to eat. 

After about a week in the country we found ourselves unusually focused on food.  We would buy kilo bags full of peanuts and carry several baguettes in our pack every day.  When eating in a restaurant we would devour the meals in a matter of minutes then ask for more.  We turned into gluttons and subsequently gained a few pounds.    

The experience was very much out of character for both of us and we could not help but wonder if there was some sort of chemical or biological signal among the population causing us to enter a primitive starvation mode. 

The moment we crossed back into Thailand we went back to normal eating habits. 

Perhaps this is a social phenomenon as the article suggests, or a biological one.  



 
FunRun
Apprentice User Apprentice User, Joined On 7/2008
FunRun  
 
 
 
Posted On Aug 12, 2008
I know I have relaxed my eating habits being around  my husband. He is overweight and he has gotten me to relax. Mmmmm guess I should take heed.

 
Arizona
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 6/2007
Arizona  
 
 
 
Posted On Aug 13, 2008
I noticed how family members tend to weight around the same weight, or the previous weight of the elder family members. (example: I weigh the same as my mom did back when she was my age.) This is usually blamed to genetics. As a teenager, I don't pay very much attention to my friends weight as I do to the girls who are NOT my friends. I tend to feel larger or less attractive compared to someone I DON'T like as to who I am comfortable with.

 
D_muir13
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 8/2008
D_muir13  
 
 
 
Posted On Aug 12, 2008
...which is why so many cute, skinny girls have a fat friend.  Girls don't so much want to look good, just better than all the other girls.

 
Katie B
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 1/2008
Katie B  
Replied

stoic
Apprentice User Apprentice User Joined On 3/2007
stoic  
 
Posted On Aug 13, 2008
Oh, but the fat friend can be cute, too...she might even have been a cute skinny, once upon a time..... 

 
 
 
 
© Copyright 2009 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.