We’ve probably all heard about the power of association. There’s a tangible link between the way we behave and the men and women we have friendships with. But we might have thought the similarities would reveal themselves in our attitudes and personal tastes – for instance we often support the same institutions and vote for the same parties as our friends.
Today however, research is indicating that if our friends are heavier than the norm – then we will be too! A new report has linked consumption habits and large friends. Researchers in the USA discovered that overweight youngsters ate more food when they were with their overweight friends than when they were with their lighter ones.
The entire group, who varied in weight and were aged nine to fifteen, ate more when they were with their pals. But pairing up overweight friends led to the biggest consumption of all. The research was featured in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It discovered that young teens eating habits are definitely affected by the company they keep.
Frankly, having more relaxed habits when with friends is not a big surprise. We all feel more awkward in strange company. With friends, we gain a sort of unspoken permission for our actions. In a subconscious way, we permit them to define tolerable behaviour.
The study took 65 young people of mixed weights and observed them for 45 minutes. Some were with a friend, and some with a stranger. They were given games to entertain themselves, along with snack food, fruit and veg.
Every pair who knew each other ate more than those who didn’t. Nevertheless, by far the most was eaten by the heavy couples who were pals. The results showed as follows:
An average of seven hundred and thirty eight calories was eaten by overweight teens who paired with a friend. Yet the larger kid who paired with a regular weight buddy only ate four hundred and forty four calories. Interestingly, regular weight kids averaged approximately five hundred calories no matter what weight their friend was. The larger kids desire to be like their friends is a common notion. We see this also in relation to smoking at an early age.
In conclusion, the researchers suggested that the kids and teens social networks were mainly determining how much food they ate. Yet this power of association can be beneficial, as positive influences are just as possible as negative ones. Hence the necessity to educate the young.