Study: Health habits are “contagious” and highly influenced by social groups

Living in communities with high obesity rates may result in eventual onset of excess weight, a study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics revealed. The findings demonstrated that obesity can be contagious, and that exposure to communities with high obesity rates could be detrimental especially among children and teens.

The study was carried out by a team of researchers at the University of Southern California. The experts analyzed more than 1,500 families from 38 military bases around the U.S. between November 2016 and October 2017 as part of the study. Each family included one parent and one child aged 12 to 13 years old. The military bases were chosen as they were a good setting where people from all walks of life live together in a community, the scientists explained.