Comments on Cranky Fitness: Obesity is "Socially Contagious"

O NOES! TEH FATZ IS CONTAGIOUS!!!11!!!!1Just think...

2008-09-22T03:21:00.000-04:00

O NOES! TEH FATZ IS CONTAGIOUS!!!11!!!!1

Just think, in 20 years this will have become part of standard "knowledge". To refute this, school children will have to watch a video where the fat high school kid tells another kid "You can't catch fat from sitting next to me or drinking my chocolate milk!"

You know, like the AIDS movie everyone had to watch in school? You know? Huh? Oh. No, maybe it was just my school. Nebermind.

Hi JaneDoe4,I think you may be on to something--pe...

2007-07-29T23:23:00.000-04:00

Hi JaneDoe4,
I think you may be on to something--perhaps these stupid expert quotes are just to make people mad and get more attention? (Like the woman who said microwave ovens cause obesity?) Because why else would you say something so offensive and dumb?

And your observation about stigma actually made sense both ways.

And one more thing (because you sound sort of science-y the way you talk about Framingham), have you noticed that it seems like a lot more "studies" these days seem to be reviews of data from previous studies? Don't know if the computer programs are getting more sophisticated or if they're just running out of money to find fresh populations.

Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by!

^ Oops. I was going for "More stigma around body w...

2007-07-29T23:05:00.000-04:00

^ Oops. I was going for "More stigma around body weight isn't going to help anyone's health" and missed.

I know this is a few days old, but I haven't had m...

2007-07-29T23:04:00.000-04:00

I know this is a few days old, but I haven't had my fill of ranting about the "don't be friend with fat people" spin yet. Sometimes I wonder if the "expert" doctors who come up with interpretations like that deliberately say stupid things just so they'll get quoted in the newspaper. More stigma around body weight isn't going to help anyone's weight. Interesting study, though, as far as making creative use of the Framingham data.

Anonymous,I know, isn't it stupid? Hard to believ...

2007-07-29T11:44:00.000-04:00

Anonymous,
I know, isn't it stupid? Hard to believe "experts" would tell people to shun their overweight friends.

Sure..why don't we just round up all the "fat" kid...

2007-07-28T15:54:00.000-04:00

Sure..why don't we just round up all the "fat" kids and adults and isolate them even more by locking them up so we don't "catch it" They have a hard enough time with society accepting them and usually don't have more than a couple friends any way and are ignored a lot even by adults..so who would miss them? /rolls her eyes

Hilary,Very funny! (And I say go ahead and blame t...

2007-07-28T13:55:00.000-04:00

Hilary,
Very funny! (And I say go ahead and blame the friends anyway).

Great blog you have there over at The Smitten Image--thanks so much for stopping by!

I have company almost every weekend and consistenl...

2007-07-28T12:04:00.000-04:00

I have company almost every weekend and consistenly gain weight over those two day, and lose it through the week when I'm on my own. It's absolutely the company I keep...

and the food choices I make...

and the lazier walks...

and the lack of willpower...

and...

ok, maybe it's me. :)

Hi SmartCookie,Boy, I'd struggle with that too. I...

2007-07-27T19:21:00.000-04:00

Hi SmartCookie,
Boy, I'd struggle with that too. I think trying to eat appropriately for my metabolism would make me feel completely martyred if I had to watch every one else eating the fun stuff all the time.

I don't know about my friends making me fat, but m...

2007-07-27T15:03:00.000-04:00

I don't know about my friends making me fat, but my family certainly doesn't help my healthy eating strategy any. My son only eats potatoes, corn and beef. My husband has the metabolism of the Olympic swimmer he used to be, so sugar is no enemy to him and my daughter is 10 with a 10-year-old's metabolism. My struggle is that I usually make them dinner and then I make my own.

At least if I go out to eat with my friends, we all order different stuff and it isn't such a big deal.

Thanks Meg! And yikes, jaw surgery sounds like an...

2007-07-27T10:07:00.000-04:00

Thanks Meg! And yikes, jaw surgery sounds like an unpleasant way to lose weight.

Penelope, we truly needed a feline perspective here. As usual, cats show themselves to be much more independent and admirable creatures than us sheep-like humans who are so easily influenced by others.

I have no friends. I hang with Sadie, who Karen re...

2007-07-27T05:53:00.000-04:00

I have no friends.

I hang with Sadie, who Karen refers to as my sister, although we are not blood related. Sadie is quite tall and thin, like a supermodel. Furthermore, like many in that industry, she is also bulimic and barfs all over the house. I'm not exactly sure why she does this. It's not like she wears clothes and has to fit into a size two cotail dress. She has no friends to impress, either.

I would describe myself as volumptuous and short. In my experience, Sadie's behavior does not effect me and my sense of body image or worth. I am fabulous and brilliant. Sadie is a dullard who happens to be thin. End of story.

I discussed this with Karen and she saw more legitimacy for humans. According to her, if your friends are drinking and eating and having a good time on the town, you are probably right there with them. If your friends are at the gym using the elliptical machine, you probably are as well.

Evidently you people put a lot of stock in your buddies. Must be nice to be allowed out of the house to pick them!

--P

Hmm, I don't know about the the shorter people nee...

2007-07-27T03:17:00.000-04:00

Hmm, I don't know about the the shorter people needing smaller portions or not. I really was naturally slim (much the way my very tall brother still is) and then I had some major weight issues because of the meds I was on for my mental illness. So I went from being a healthy 102 to a very obese 210 in two years or so (most of it being put on within the first year). And that's really what screwed things up. I had to have corrrective jaw surgery last October and was wired shut for a month and my jaw didn't heal right so my food intake decreased and I stopped taking all my medications because I had to have liquified versions that were making me puke... So I lost 60 pounds. And now it's all stopped and stuck here.

I really wish I did know, because I have a very big appetite. Then again during some of my skinny time I was bulimic (I was big into ballet at the time) so binging became like a norm for me. I really don't know.

The skinny friend I shared the article with (as mentioned in my first comment) is not much taller than I am. But then I guess she eats as healthy as she can with a busy job (as a pastor) and wit two young sons. Somehow she keeps it off (I hope that means she's actually finding time to eat?).

So it's a mystery but if you do further this genius theory and some researcher picks up on... they can use me ffor their experiments since now I'm interested and need to lose some weight. My body was made to be very small. I have very small feet and hands and teeth and even small veins. I suppose that only offsets my much too big middle section even more. I do think the weight thing is even harder when you're really short. But anyway, I should be sleeping...

Hi Everybody--sorry to be Slacky on comments tonig...

2007-07-26T23:52:00.000-04:00

Hi Everybody--sorry to be Slacky on comments tonight. And what a night I picked to go AWOL.

Great comments--and Lethological Reader has a new blog! Peggy has a great analysis of the research including the bit about gender influence on the friendship factor that I totally missed; Sara, a star blogger from Marks Daily Apple and Healthbolt shows up to say hi; Norabarnacle reveals she doesn't know who her University Mascot is (I had to google mine, actually, 'cause I couldn't remember it and what the hell is a Triton anyway?); Holly has a Painful yet Amusing Epiphany involving bacon and eggs, and we welcome great new reader Lara into the craziness that is Cranky Fitness! Lara seems to have a formidable feline support system over at her blog, so hopefully she doesn't scare too easily and won't run away when she discovers what a bunch of loons we are sometimes.

Night all!

Hi Crabby!What a lucky chance finding you thru Blo...

2007-07-26T21:47:00.000-04:00

Hi Crabby!
What a lucky chance finding you thru Blogs by Women Bloggers! Your blog is terrific -- I'll be back to read more. This is so up my fat alley!
Great blog!
Lara

So, my dear crabby friend are you trying to tell m...

2007-07-26T20:51:00.000-04:00

So, my dear crabby friend are you trying to tell me that I am supposed to make healthy eating choices when I am dining with my dad even those he is ordering eggs bacon and sausage and just looked sideways at me because I am thicker than the last time he saw me!?!?! Argh!!!

This is so totally not fair!!!! wwaaaahhhh!

"use your brain" - why would we want to do that? T...

2007-07-26T18:29:00.000-04:00

"use your brain" - why would we want to do that? That would MAKE SENSE, Crabby! ;)

Actually looking at the study, it really surprised...

2007-07-26T16:36:00.000-04:00

Actually looking at the study, it really surprised me that a "mutual friend" had a much greater impact that a spouse (see Figure 4), since spouses presumably spend more time eating and socializing together (or maybe that's a bad assumption). Anyway, something that doesn't seem to be making the news reports is that the effect is much greater between male friends than female friends. From the report:

"Among friends of the same sex, a man had a 100% (95% CI, 26 to 197) increase in the chance of becoming obese if his male friend became obese, whereas the female-to-female spread of obesity was not significant (38% increased chance; 95% CI, –39 to 161)."

It seems like bad reporting to focus on the overall percentage of participants who are affected when there is such a big discrepancy between the effect on men and women.

It's an interesting study, but it's still not clea...

2007-07-26T16:07:00.000-04:00

It's an interesting study, but it's still not clear to me how the fatty field extends to people who are hundreds of miles away. When I chat with people who are far away, I don't usually discuss eating or weight or exercise(except when I talk to my mother, but that's a different story) and I've been surprised in the past when I see someone in person and realize their size has changed. Maybe it's because people with an active lifestyle are more likely to be friends with others who have an active lifestyle?

Anyway, it makes me kind of sick to my stomach when I read the "don't be friends with fat people" spin I've seen in the news. I'm by far the largest in my social group and there have been times when we are out that I'm self-conscious about my weight. The last thing I need is to feel like I'm contaminating them somehow.

Pick your friends carefully? Ew. That's all I have...

2007-07-26T15:58:00.000-04:00

Pick your friends carefully? Ew. That's all I have to say.

Well, that and go Ags! Or mustangs, or cows, or whatever the heck we were supposed to be.

I just posted a related post on my new blog! http:...

2007-07-26T15:35:00.000-04:00

I just posted a related post on my new blog! http://steppin-up.blogspot.com (my name links to my other blog - any ideas how to post with a name linked to my new blog?)

I agree with what a lot of you have said - friends can impact what you eat, but to choose your friends based on that is just ridiculous.

I've noticed this happen to me - I rarely eat fast food, but when I started kickball, every week after the game, I would go for pizza with friends because that's where they wanted to go (and it was cheap). I've also noticed that if my friends are eating healthy, it's easier for me, especially if there's a dinner party of some kind.

But I'm not going to stop associating with people because they're larger, whether or not they make good food choices. Seriously. I'm not friends with them because of what they look like or what they eat, I'm friends with them because they're cool people and I like hanging out with them.

Crabby, having not quite left the building yet...S...

2007-07-26T15:02:00.000-04:00

Crabby, having not quite left the building yet...

Sniff sniff... is that the smell of cream-filled apple donuts? Must check back. Ah, look what Dawn left unguarded! Snarf snarf snarf... yum.

Now must really go attend to errands!

Not that I'm neurotic or anything - but do any of ...

2007-07-26T14:57:00.000-04:00

Not that I'm neurotic or anything - but do any of you think Crabby did a runner as she saw me approaching her blog? I don't have any socially contagious diseases. Honest!

Katieo,The socks--you're right! And I had a simila...

2007-07-26T14:44:00.000-04:00

Katieo,
The socks--you're right! And I had a similar experience when I went off to college--gained a bunch of weight because I did what everyone else was doing and feasted on junk food. You really do look to what others are doing I think. And your Baconator comment totally had me laughing--I have that same reaction sometimes to absurd fast food monstrosities--half appalled, and half tempted.

Bunnygirl, I agree it all sounds like common sense--but I was surprised at how strong the influence was. I have this illusion that I'm my own person, but who knows how much I'm being influenced by my friends? And I'm totally convinced you could get a grant for that study--made me laugh but its so true.

And to all: Will be out for much of the rest of the day but will be checking back this evening. May not respond to everything but as usual, will totally enjoy reading all that you might have to say!

Kery,Diet Blog has it too--I guess this study just...

2007-07-26T13:58:00.000-04:00

Kery,
Diet Blog has it too--I guess this study just caught everyone's eye.

And as to the suggestion we ditch our overweight friends, I'm with you: barf party!

Dr. J, you crack me up. (And if I tried to meditate while running I'd probably run smack into trees, but your meditation seems to be of the powerful sort that allows you to fell them with only your mind!). And yeah, to solve that old question you would have had to have not been there in the first place, in which case...oh hell, never mind.

Hi Lisa,
That's interesting to see the phenomenon play out in pregnancy too. And you're right, let's hope people aren't dumb enough to try to ditch their pregnant friends too, yikes.

Hi miss Martha!
I agree, everyone should take responsibility for their own eating habits. And actually, the heavy people I know often tend to eat less than I do, at least when we go out to eat. They're actually a good influence on me.

Holly,
Wow, interesting observations. I think making this stuff conscious, rather than unconscious, is half the battle.

And with your knee & mobility problems of late, it must be extra hard to balance the calories/exercise. I'd think the last thing you'd need is someone eating unhealthy food around you at the same time they're disapproving of your weight. Will be interesting see if your patterns around Dad might change at all now that you're conscious of them.

Back in a bit...