Weight Management Outlined – Losing Ten Pounds
Are you aware that our behaviour patterns very often reflect those of our friends? Psychologists have been telling us for a long time that we become like the people we associate with. For the most part this is interpreted as we hold the same belief structure or values; we quite often support the same sports clubs and political parties as our friends, for instance.
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.
Indeed, all the young people studied (aged 9 to 15) ate more when they were with friends than strangers regardless of their size. But it was when the heavier friends teamed up that the most calories were consumed. Clinical nutritionists were interested in this research. The most revealing dynamic it discovered was the influence of friends.
Of course, it’s not surprising that many felt they could eat more when they were comfortable with the company they were in. Adults would no doubt have demonstrated the same characteristics. What’s more, as our friends don’t usually challenge what we do, we assume that means they condone our behaviour. We’re inclined to unconsciously monitor our behaviour in relation to their reaction to it.
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.
A child’s social network then is significant in determining their eating habits. What this means is kids can be influenced to eat less as well as more. A good argument for teaching sound nutrition!
