Is Obesity Contagious?
Staff
Researchers at Arizona State University recently published an article in the American Journal of Public Health titled “Shared Norms and Their Explanation for the Social Clustering of Obesity.” It looked at why obesity seems to be common in some families and groups of friends.
Along the lines of the old saying “Birds of a feather flock together,” the study showed that people do cluster according to size, but there are few clues to explain why. While inconclusive, this study provides some important information about trends in obesity.
Not surprisingly, the study found that obese families and friends usually have two things in common: food choices and level of activity – or, more accurately, inactivity. Obese parents tend to raise obese children. It seems, too, that obese family and friends hang out and eat the same kinds of detrimental foods and participate in the same kinds of detrimental habits.
Most people do not want to be obese. Participants of the study said that if given the choice, they would rather suffer from some pretty serious diseases, including alcoholism or herpes, instead. In fact, 25.4% said they would prefer severe depression and 14.5% said they would prefer total blindness over obesity.
For some, it’s a rising frustration level from past failed dieting efforts. For many, the usual recommendation of a reduced-calorie, balanced diet based on the USDA “food plate” (which replaced the pyramid this year) provides not a solution, but a recipe for failure. Not to mention that sugar is too often a prevalent ingredient in packaged and refined foods that are so often touted as healthy. With the consumption of all these low-nutrition manufactured foods, the body is left craving more in an attempt to make up for the deficit.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, leading an active lifestyle is important in overcoming obesity. Developing healthy eating habits is also key, but can prove a much more difficult road to embark upon. For help in both fitness and nutrition, check out the many wellness and athletic performance centers in North Carolina. They are staffed with professionals who can offer advice and help you create a great plan for both fitness and nutrition.
