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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.

However, studies are now also suggesting that having overweight friends makes it more likely that we will be overweight too. According to a recent news article, we have a tendency to consume more when eating with heavier people who we know well. A US research team looked at kids eating habits. They found that the heavier ones ate more when they were with their heavier pals than when they were with their slimmer friends.

In fact more was eaten by all sizes when in the company of friends. Although the most food of all was eaten when two heavy chums were teamed up. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported on this research. It illustrated the part friends play in the actions of each other.

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.

The familiar couples put away more food than the unfamiliar ones. But the overweight pairs who were familiar with each other got through the most. And the variations were considerable, as shown below.

The pairs of heavy pals each ate an average of 738 cals. Average weight kids put away five hundred cals whichever weight pal they partnered, though the bigger kids ate less than four hundred and fifty cals when they partnered average weight friends. Comparable evidence of strong influence from friends is evident in attitudes to alcohol consumption by teens.

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!

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