Is Obesity “Contagious”?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Can you actually catch obesity from someone else, like a cold? No, of course not! What I mean by obesity being contagious is the presence of a giant social component to lifestyle habits that strongly contributes to obesity. Scientific studies continue to document that both health-promoting and health-damaging habits are fostered by our social connections. And when it comes to lifestyle behaviors like eating and physical activity, most of us are strongly influenced by what our friends and family are doing. The good news is that you can learn to recognize what I call “lifestyle sabotage” and choose another path for yourself. I’d like to share the story told by one of my patients. She had lost about 30 pounds and had a strong commitment to making lifestyle changes. She came to see me one day, very forlorn, after meeting some friends at a restaurant the evening before. She chose vegetable soup to start. While she opted out from their usual order of a large ...