Heart surgeon reveals how your social circle shapes your body weight |
Choose your friends wisely. This adage is not only pivotal to your life’s success but also has a far-reaching effect on your health. In fact, your friends really do have an impact on your body weight. Dr Jeremy London, a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon with more than 25 years of clinical experience, recently revealed that friends influence one’s body weight. Let’s dive in.
Your social circle influences your health
In a video shared on Instagram on 19 December, Dr London revealed that a person’s social circle has a significant impact on their health, including body weight. “After 25 years as a heart surgeon, I’ve learned this. Health isn’t just about discipline or willpower. It’s about environment — your friends, co-workers, and family,” he said. The cardiac surgeon also noted that your social circle shapes what you eat, how active you are, and what you think is normal.
What science says
The doctor also pointed to the Framingham Heart Study, which demonstrated the impact of social circles on determining one’s body weight.The 2007 study analysed 32 years of data from 12,067 participants and found that a friend’s obesity raises one’s odds by 57%, dropping to 40% for siblings and 37% for spouses. The effects persisted up to three degrees of separation (a friend of a friend of a friend) but faded with weaker ties or distance. “Your risk of becoming obese increases 50% if a close friend becomes obese, 40% if a sibling does, and 37% if a spouse does,” Dr Jeremy London underlined.
What to do?
So does that mean you stop socialising with your loved ones? Not really. While shared habits and behaviours do have an impact on your health, the solution is not avoiding them. “I’m not saying to drop your friends or distance yourself from family. That’s not the solution. The solution is awareness. Your environment is either moving you forward or quietly pulling you back, and here’s the key: you can be the seed of change.”How can you stay with your loved ones without compromising your health? “Be the friend who walks, who trains, who orders well, who consistently chooses better. Health is contagious; so is complacency. Choose your circle wisely. Choose your mentors intentionally, and if your environment isn’t changing, be the one who changes it,” Dr Jeremy London advised.A recent study from Curtin University found that your neighbourhood also influences your body weight. “We found that the area in which people live has a much stronger effect on food consumption than on physical activity,” the researchers said.“For example, up to half of the variation in how much people spend on groceries or takeaway food across different areas can be traced to the environment they live in. This suggests that what’s available, affordable, and convenient locally has a real impact on the choices people make.”Your social circle and environment can play a crucial role in your health. So make wise choices, while you still have time.Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment, or before changing your diet or supplement regimen.
